The Return of the Po Empire
by Red Witch
Summary: Once again Shane Gooseman finds himself in the center of another insane plot for power and revenge. But this time he and the Galaxy Rangers may uncover some secrets of the past that will surprise everyone.
1. Part I

**The disclaimer telling you that I don't own any Galaxy Rangers characters has been zapped away to another dimension by Mogul. Once again I'm writing one of my crazy multi-chapter stories! And I don't care! Ha ha ha ha! This might answer one or two little questions that have been nagging at me lately.**

**Or it would just be something I felt like doing to drive readers crazy. Either way it's fun! **

**The Return of the Po Empire**

**The Po Empire…Once it was the most powerful and feared dynasty the universe had ever seen. Few know or remember the origins of this mysterious society. Even fewer understand it. It was a race of powerful mutants able to combine sorcery and magic. But as all things rise, all things must also fall. Their race began to decline and the empire became unstable. Soon only the great city of Po-Atlantica remained. But even though the city was all was left it still was filled with powerful magic and immense wealth beyond anyone's wildest dreams.**

**And one day…It vanished…**

**All that remained of the Po Empire were a few artifacts. A few strange and amazing trinkets that were both wonderful and deadly. **

**And the most wonderful and dangerous of all…Is the Golden Eye. The Golden Eye is said to be the map to Po-Atlantica. A map that only a chosen one can access…Only a chosen one…One that is blessed by the decrees of the Po Empire will be able to touch and access the map and discover the lost city. And gain power beyond his dreams…**

"AND I'M THE ONE THAT SHOULD RIGHTFULLY FIND IT!" Mogul the Space Sorcerer screamed at the top of his lungs. "WHERE IS IT? WHERE? WHERE? WHERE IS THE GOLDEN EYE?"

"Right here Master!" Larry ran in with a decorated golden metal ball covered in a glass case.

"You found the Golden Eye? Where?" Mogul did a double take.

"It was packed away with your summer swimsuits," Larry told him.

"Oh right…" Mogul scratched his head with one of his hands. "Now I remember. I went through my closet a couple hundred years ago…I must have misplaced it."

Larry put the glass case on a table. Mogul removed the covering. "Careful Master you know that if you touch it…"

"I'm not an idiot Larry," Mogul snapped. "I know what I'm doing! I'm not going to get AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" He accidentally brushed one of his hands against the ball and it gave out a violent electric shock.

He fell to the floor. "Electrocuted…" Mogul moaned. He sat up. "Now I remember why I packed the stupid thing away in the **first place!** There's no way I can solve the puzzle! There's no way **anyone** can solve the puzzle!"

"But there is a way to solve the puzzle of the Golden Eye," Larry reminded him. "Remember Master?"

"Oh yes!" Mogul sneered as he threw up his arms. "Of course there is! That stupid little rhyme…_Only a mutant male of pure heart can travel the road to Po-Atlantica_ _from the start_…WHO THE HELL MADE UP SUCH A STUPID RHYME?"

"Uh…The person who made the Golden Eye?" Larry asked, blinking.

"Of course, Larry," Mogul gave up. "How stupid of me. What's even stupider is the requirements to solve this riddle! A male mutant with a **pure heart?** Come on! Yeah! Like you're going to find **those** just anywhere! Mutants are scarcer than hen's teeth and most of them are crazy insane maniacs! None of them can exactly be called pure of heart! The only thing pure about them is the pure insanity they cause!"

"None unless you count that Galaxy Ranger," Larry remarked. "You know that one that's a Supertrooper? He's a mutant. And since he's one of those Goody Goody Galaxy Rangers I guess he'd be considered pure of heart."

"Yes, yes…" Mogul muttered. Then he did a double take. "YES! LARRY! CONGRADULATIONS! YOU JUST HAD YOUR FIRST AND PROBABLY ONLY INTELLIGENT THOUGHT!"

"I **did!**" Larry's eyes went wide. "Wow!"

"Oh yes, now all we have to do is set the trap," Mogul cackled. "Galaxy Ranger Shane Gooseman is the key to Po-Atlantica and all the power in the universe!"

"I guess there's some good in everybody," Larry said cheerfully.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Three days later at BETA Mountain…

"I swear doesn't **anyone** in this galaxy have anything **better** to do than to try and kill me?" Shane Gooseman groaned as he and the other rangers returned from a mission and headed to Commander Walsh's office for a meeting.

"Now that you mention it, it does seem to be a theme lately," Doc remarked.

"Today it was MaCross trying to blast me for all the times I put him behind bars," Shane counted off. "Yesterday it was the General with another hair brained plot to get my DNA to make a mutant army from. The day before **that** Kilbane tried to frame me for a crime I didn't commit, **again!**"

"Yeah might have worked a lot better if you hadn't walked into that bank about two seconds after he did and stopped him from committing that robbery on Prairie," Zach agreed. "Not to mention that little incident with that lady's dog."

"We would have caught him too if he didn't trip and fall right into that sewer," Niko admitted.

"It's like once a month all the crazies in the universe decide to go after you at the same time," Doc thought aloud. "Like a full moon madness or something."

"You got the madness part right," Shane grumbled as they walked into Walsh's office.

"Sorry to call all of you in so soon after your last mission but this next one is extremely important," Walsh apologized. "Tomorrow night I need all of you to provide security at the Rosedare Space Colony near the Moon for an important event."

"You mean once again we get to be glorified security guards at some stupid function," Shane grumbled.

"It's not just any function," Walsh told them. "It's a welcoming ceremony. The planet Tarkon is finally joining the League of Planets."

"It's about time," Doc grinned.

"It also means the Queen of the Crown isn't going to simply sit back and watch it happen," Walsh gave him a look. "The Crown Empire still hasn't fully recovered from it's failed attack on Tarkon and the destruction of it's armada at the Heart of Tarkon."

"It had barely recovered from it's failed attempt on Earth," Niko agreed. "Knowing the Queen, she'd want revenge."

"That's why we're having the event so close to home," Walsh told her. "King Spartos, his ambassador Princes Maya and their entourage will be there for the official ceremony. So it's imperative that nothing goes wrong."

"Maya is the Ambassador?" Shane smirked. "From princess to rebel to ambassador, that woman's got quite a resume."

"And what a resume," Doc said with a dreamy look in his eyes.

"I take it our job is mainly to see that the king and Princess Maya are safe?" Zach asked, ignoring the annoyed look Niko had on her face.

"That and to keep an eye on the gifts that are going to be exchanged," Walsh said. "It's part of the ceremony and they are extremely valuable."

"A tempting target for any thief," Doc realized. "Not only could someone make a fortune but claim bragging rights and some serious respect in the crime community."

"Add an angry Queen of the Crown just waiting to disrupt the ceremony and things could really get messy," Zach realized.

"There is one other thing. One of the gifts given to them will be a Po Mutant artifact recently discovered," Walsh coughed.

"Oh no…" Shane groaned. "Every time we tangle with one of those stupid things **something** goes wrong!"

"This time we are keeping it well under glass and under guard twenty four seven," Walsh told him. "In fact…Gooseman you have been assigned to it's safety."

"What? I gotta baby sit another whacked out Poe Mutant toy? Why me?" Shane protested.

"You have a lot of experience in dealing with Poe objects," Walsh said. "Your bio defenses protected you against the Po Sensation Doll. It stands to reason that if something does go wrong they can protect you as well. Besides you know that object is going to be a very tempting target for a host of criminals and Dr. Magnate, the archeologist who discovered the artifact requested my best man."

"So you picked me. Great. One good thing about this assignment," Shane grumbled. "At least I know it's not some stupid plot against me."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The Rosedare Space Colony was considered one of the Earth's technical marvels. It was founded at the end of the Earth World Wars as a haven for scientists and their families to work on research in peace. Over the years it became a living symbol of technological advancements and order with it's research labs, highly prized school for young geniuses and a five star hotel/conference section for alien diplomats that was considered one of the greatest achievements of the early twenty first century.

It was also once thrown into total chaos and nearly obliterated thanks to an alien ten year old boy and his toy cowboys and Indians. But that's another story.

"I keep forgetting how amazing this place can be," Zach whistled at all the fancy decorations and glittering opulence of the conference center. "It really is the perfect place for the ceremony."

"Let's just hope the Queen doesn't ruin things," Niko said. Both were in their dress uniforms. "Oh my…"

Princess Mara walked down the stairs with her father on her arm. She was wearing a beautiful black and pink dress and had a gold tiara on her head. Her hair was perfectly coiffed and she looked very much like royalty.

"Your Majesty, Ambassador," Zach made a bow to the royal family.

"Captain Foxx and Ranger Niko," Mara grinned. "It's good to see you both."

"Likewise," Niko bowed respectfully. "This day has been long and coming."

"While we of Sparta value the old ways it is time that we embrace the future and the technology of it," King Spartos nodded.

"If we don't the Queen will make sure we're history," Mara added. "Have you seen Doc and Goose?"

"They're around here someplace," Zach said.

"I can't wait to see them," Mara flashed a warm smile.

"Come dear we must greet the other ambassadors," Spartos told her. "Rangers." They walked away.

"I can't wait to see them," Niko mocked under her breath when they were out of range. "Oh I'll **bet** she can't!"

"You're not still jealous of her are you?" Zach asked.

"I am not jealous! I just don't like how those two idiots fawn over the Princess every time we cross paths," Niko said.

"Or maybe **one** idiot in particular?" Zach whistled.

"Just what are you implying Captain?" Niko gave him a look.

"I'm not saying anything," Zach told her. "But you really shouldn't get so upset over Princess Maya when everyone knows how much Goose likes you. In fact I think if you stopped playing games and just talked to him…"

"Wait a minute…" Niko's eye twitched. "This wouldn't have anything to do with that stupid betting pool that's going around does it?"

"Betting pool?" Zach asked.

"Don't play dumb with me Captain," Niko glared at him. "I know all about that stupid betting pool on when and if Goose and I go on a date. Well forget it!"

"Ranger Niko I'm shocked and appalled," Zach made his most official look at her. "You know as well as I do gambling is against regulations. I'm surprised you would even suggest that I would take part in something so unethical!"

"Oh I'm sorry Captain," Niko apologized.

"On the other hand…" Zach whistled. "Fraternization between two rangers of the same rank isn't really against the rules as long as it's off duty, doesn't interfere with one's duties and one of the rangers isn't a superior officer to the other one. So technically there really is nothing wrong if the two of you want to… Oh I don't know, get a bite to eat or watch a movie or something."

"Oh **really?**" Niko's eye twitched again.

"In fact if you want to do it before the twenty ninth…" Zach began. That was when Niko pinched him hard on the arm. "OW! NIKO! You can't hit me! I outrank you!"

"That was **not **a hit," Niko cracked her knuckles and gave Zach an evil look.

"Did I say it was?" Zach gulped nervously and held up his hands. "No, no hitting here! Oh look my kids are here!" He grabbed his son who walked up to him. "Zach my boy! See you wouldn't want to expose my children to violence now would you?"

"You are **pathetic**," Niko glared at him.

_Maybe but I'd rather face a thousand Crown Agents in nothing but my boxers than take on __**you **__when you're mad, _Zach thought to himself.

_I can __**arrange**__ that Captain,_ Niko thought back.

"Aaahh!" Zach startled. "How did you…You didn't touch your badge!"

"You were **projecting** so loud I'm surprised the entire station didn't hear you," Niko folded her arms. "Besides I told you a while ago that all of us Series Five Rangers have a strong connection, especially when we're **scared** out of our minds!"

"You found out about the bet he made didn't you?" Zach Jr. guessed what was going on.

"AH HA!" Niko shouted.

"Thanks a **lot** kid," Zach grumbled to his son.

"Hi Niko," Jessica ran up to them in a beautiful pink dress. "Dad what's wrong? Why do you look so nervous? Did Niko find out about your bet?"

"Et Tu dear daughter?" Zach groaned.

"Told you," Jessica said smugly to her brother. "You owe me five credits."

"YOU BET ON ME?" Zach yelled.

"It's your own fault for providing such a bad example for us," Jessica grinned.

"You know Jessica you have the same self righteous streak your mother has," Zach groaned. "And I hate it a **lot!**"

"What's going on?" Shane walked up with Commander Walsh both in their dress uniforms.

"Niko found out about the bet Dad made on the two of you," Jessica grinned.

"Told you!" Shane glared at Commander Walsh. "Pay up!"

"You just couldn't keep your mouth shut Captain?" Commander Walsh reluctantly handed over money to both Shane and Jessica. "I'm deducting this out of your pay!"

"Serves you **both** right for betting on something that's none of your business," Jessica grinned.

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Shane grinned.

"I think we've all been in one gambling saloon too many," Niko groaned. Then she heard a commotion. "What is going on?"

"Oh no…" Shane groaned when he saw what it was.

"Hello everybody!" Bubblehead the Memory Bird flew in and landed on Shane's shoulder. "Did you miss me?"

"Like I miss a broken leg," Shane grumbled.

"What is that electronic bubble brained feather duster doing here?" Walsh snapped.

"He must have snuck aboard," Shane sighed. "Bubblehead!"

"I love a party!" Bubblehead straightened his little tie. "Where's the nachos?"

"Oh no you don't!" Shane grabbed him. "The last thing we need is you causing **another** interplanetary incident! Little Zach, Jessica could you two please do me a favor and keep an eye on Bubblehead so he doesn't get into trouble?"

"No problem," Zach Jr. said as he took the bird. "Come on Bubblehead."

"Okay let's play tag!" Bubblehead escaped his grasp and flew away.

"I think we just got a problem," Jessica groaned. "Bubblehead!" The two children ran off after the bird.

"Uh…I think I'll go help them," Zach winced as the sound of Bubblehead crashing into something could be heard. He went off after the children.

"This night is going to be **fun**," Shane grumbled. "I saw Maya here earlier."

"You don't have time for that," Niko said. "Commander doesn't Gooseman have **guard duty**?"

"Uh yes, this way Gooseman," Commander Walsh did not like the look in Niko's eye. He wisely steered Shane away towards a golden ball on a plush red cushion on a pedestal.

"Shouldn't that thing have a cover on it?" Shane blinked.

"Dr. Magnate insisted that it isn't harmful and it didn't need one," Senator Whiner slid up to them with a white tiger man in blue senatorial robes behind him. "Well Walsh I see you have Ranger Gooseman here on time for once."

"I'm **always **on time Senator," Shane's eyes narrowed slightly for a moment then decided not to rise to the deliberate bait. "I don't see Mrs. Wheiner here or your lovely daughter."

"Both are in rehab," The tiger man smirked. "Oh don't look so shocked Wheiner it's very fashionable these days."

"You know Ambassador Reggit from Leonoid," Wheiner gave the ambassador a dirty look. "His people are considering joining the League of Planets as well."

"So far I'm quite impressed," Reggit nodded. He gave Wheiner a look. "Well mostly."

"Here's another **thing** you should be impressed with," Wheiner gave Shane a look. "Ranger Gooseman here is the last of the genetically enhanced troopers created before we joined the League. Commander Walsh should be congratulated on how well he's **trained** him, like an obedient guard dog."

"Wheiner…" Walsh visibly stiffened. Shane didn't react at all.

"Hey there," Zozo walked up with Waldo behind him.

"Goose, Commander Walsh, Ambassador Reggit," Waldo nodded.

"Senator Weasel, I mean Wheiner," Zozo said quickly. "Admiring the Po Artifact are we?"

"Yes I was just saying to the Ambassador how fitting it was for a **mutant** to be guarding a thing made by mutants," Wheiner sneered.

"By the way Wheiner the rehab center called and said that your wife and daughter checked out early," Zozo said cheerfully. "They were last seen heading for Las Vegas and they had your credit cards."

"WHAT?" Wheiner bristled and stormed off.

"Oh dear what an odious little man," Reggit stiffened.

"There's an argument for genetic engineering," Shane growled. "I never feel bad about being a mutant every time I run into him."

"I wish I could say the same," Walsh groaned. "Ambassador Reggit I was reading a profile of your planet and I wanted to ask you something. Is it true that the criminal Nimrod the Cat is actually related to your planet's royal family?"

"Unfortunately. Please don't hold that against us," Reggit groaned.

"As long as you don't hold Wheiner against us," Shane told him.

"Deal," Ambassador Reggit nodded. Then something caught his eye. "Excuse me I have to go see to some…other matter." He went on his way.

"Is that **another** reason you assigned me to guard the object?" Shane gave Walsh a look.

"Do you really want to be responsible for Wheiner or any other senator's safety?" Walsh gave him a look.

"When you put it **that way**," Shane grumbled as he looked at the object. "At least this thing is a lot quieter!"

Suddenly Shane's ears picked up something. Something soft and sweet, almost hypnotic. "Do you…Hear something?" Shane blinked.

"Hear what?" Zach asked.

"Music…I hear…Music somewhere," Shane listened.

"I don't hear anything," Zozo said. "Maybe the band is warming up backstage?"

"No, it's coming from **that**," Shane pointed to the object.

"Oh **that,**" A familiar looking lizard woman with only two arms a beehive hairdo and a large frilly orange dress bustled up to them. "Sometimes the artifact sends out a high pitch sound wave that only mutants can hear. It is a Po Artifact after all."

"This is Dr. Magnate who found the artifact," Waldo introduced.

A pudgy short little man with an odd face popped up behind Dr. Magnate. "And her assistant…Harry!"

"So don't be alarmed if you hear music or instructions or anything like that," Dr. Magnate twittered. She looked at Shane and gulped. "Excuse me…Have to powder my nose…Or something. Come on Harry!" She grabbed Harry and took off.

"That was…Odd," Shane blinked.

"Is it me or does Dr. Magnate look awfully familiar?" Zozo blinked.

"If I didn't know any better I'd say it was Mogul in a dress," Shane said. "Only she has two arms and doesn't smell as bad. And has better taste in outfits."

"She is an Amphibois," Waldo said. "And their race is related to the Space Sorcerers. As you can see."

There were a few other aliens that sort of resembled Mogul but they had two arms and some of them were blue or a darker shade of brown. "You're saying there's a whole **planet** that looks like Mogul?" Shane asked.

"That's a scary thought," Zozo added.

"Fortunately the Amphibois are much more law abiding than their Space Sorcerer cousins," Waldo explained. "And they have devoted their being to science, rather than magic."

However this time Waldo was wrong.

"This is so unnatural only using two arms!" 'Dr. Magnate' took off 'her' wig as soon as they found a secluded room on the other side of the station. "And this wig is itchy!"

"Master put your wig back on!" 'Harry' told him. He took off the face mask to reveal it was Larry. "Someone might see you!"

"Look who's talking! Why do I have to be the woman?" Mogul snapped as he put his wig back on.

"Because you fit into the costume!" Larry said. "Besides that outfit is really slimming on you."

"You think so?" Mogul turned an looked at himself in the mirror.

"Oh yeah it looks like you lost at least five pounds," Larry nodded. "And that perfume I gave you really adds the right touch."

"You do have a point," Mogul admired himself. Then he remembered the reason why he was dressed up. "Look! We're here to do a job! All we have to do is get Shane Gooseman to touch the Golden Eye and then we'll have the treasure of Po Atlantica! And we'd better do it soon! These high heels are killing me!"

"Don't complain to me, I told you to go with the flats," Larry said.

"I know but they looked so pretty and they went so well with the outfit," Mogul sighed.

"What the devil are **you** doing here?"

Both aliens startled until another voice broke the air. "Reggie! Darling! What a surprise to see you!" It was the voice of Nimrod the Cat.

Mogul and Larry peeked behind a large curtain to see Ambassador Reggit and Nimrod the Cat on the other side. Neither cat noticed them.

"Don't you Reggie Darling me, you loathsome scallywag!" Reggit pointed a claw at Nimord's chest. "I know you and all your tricks! You are up to something! You are always up to something!"

"Is this about what happened all those years ago on Delos Five?" Nimrod asked. "Reggie I was young, scared and stupid! Not to mention drunk out of my mind! I made a mistake!"

"Judging by your rap sheet you made a **lot **of mistakes, haven't you?" Reggit snapped.

"Reggie…"

"Forget it Nimrod, I've moved on with my life!" Reggit held his nose in the air. "I am an Ambassador now! I am well respected and I have put behind my juvenile delinquent period for good! And that includes you!"

"Come on Reggie you can't seriously tell me that you don't miss the good old days?" Nimrod grinned.

"**These** are the good old days and they have nothing to do with you!" Reggit snapped. "So what are you doing here? Tell me the truth or else I'll call down every security officer on this station on you!"

"You wouldn't do that to your old pal, old buddy?" Nimrod made sad kitty eyes at him.

"Don't you dare use the sad kitty eyes on me! That's not going to work anymore!" Reggit snapped. "What are you doing here? I know it's not to see me!"

"Actually it is," Nimrod sighed. "I kind of need your help."

"I knew it!" Reggit threw up his hands. "I knew it! So what scheme were you planning on this time? Stealing a few artifacts? Kidnapping a senator or ambassador? Putting on another impromptu rock performance? Stop me when I get it."

"No, but you gave me some pretty good ideas for the future," Nimrod said. "Look I heard something big was going down and I thought you would want a chance to get in on the action."

"The only action I want to see is you leaving!" Reggit snarled at him. "I am not going to have you use me and break my heart again like you did on Delos Five!"

"Reggie it's not like that!" Nimrod protested. "It's not going to get crazy like it was then!"

"Oh for crying out loud!" A figure in black wearing a mask burst into the alcove and took it off. He swore in a southern accent as he fiddled around with an object. "I can't believe I can't get this thing to work! That's the last time I go to a discount arms merchant in order to get a bomb! This thing is a dud!"

"Lazarus Slade?" Nimrod blinked.

"Huh?" He took off his mask and saw Nimrod and Reggit standing there. "Nimrod? What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here?" Nimrod blinked. "Are you here to steal artifacts too?"

"Well no, I heard the Queen of the Crown was upset about Tarkon joining the League so I thought I'd blow up the place in order to make her feel better," Slade admitted. "You know, kill off the king and a few ambassadors, start a little intergalactic war…That sort of thing. But this so called ultimate bomb I bought is an ultimate dud!"

"Kill a few ambassadors?" Reggit gave Nimrod a look. "Not like Delos Five huh?"

"Coincidence! Besides I'm sure he didn't mean you **personally,**" Nimrod held up his hands.

"Okay so when the ceremony starts…" MaCross slid into the room with two of his cohorts Chugga and Dawdle. They saw Nimrod and the others.

"Whoops," Chugga scratched his head. "Sorry, didn't know this room was taken."

"What the hell is this?" MaCross whipped out his blaster. "What are you doing here?"

"Having a convention, what does it look like?" Nimrod folded his arms.

"Not like Delos Five huh?" Reggit snapped. "All that's missing is the cross dressing lounge lizard and a band!"

"This is not my fault!" Nimrod snapped. "Well this time anyway. What are you doing here MaCross?"

"I'm sick of those rangers constantly messing up my plans so I thought I'd sneak in through the sewer system, steal something and maybe shoot up the place," MaCross growled.

"That's explains the smell," Reggit wrinkled his nose. "But that's it? No well thought out heist or ingenious escape plan or terrible revenge?"

"That does sound kind of lame," Nimrod added.

"Well excuse me!" MaCross snapped. "I've been having a bad week all right! Is it okay if every now and then I just **wing it** for a while? Not all of us are scientific geniuses like Slade you know?"

"Does anyone here know how to fix a bomb?" Slade asked fiddling with his contraption. "I hear something shaking in there but I don't know what it is."

"What are all these idiots doing here?" Mogul hissed. "They're going to ruin everything!"

"HEY MOGUL! HOW ARE YOU DOING?" Bubblehead flew up behind him and shouted.

"AAAAH!" Mogul and Larry jumped in shock and fell towards the curtain. The curtain fell right on top of the others. Soon everyone was thrashing around.

"What the devil?" Slade fought his way out of the curtains. "Mogul! What are you doing here?"

"Working on my own evil plans so back off Slade!" Mogul snapped. "I was here first!"

"Yeah! Go blow up someone else's party because this one's ours!" Larry snapped.

"Oh I see it clearly now!" Slade pointed a finger at Nimrod. "You're ganging up on me Nimrod! You want to stop this banquet so you can proclaim your love to the Queen and propose to her!"

"What'chu talkin' about Slade?" Nimrod did a double take.

"I can't believe I've been so blind!" Slade began to get worked up. "All those secret meeting! Midnight rendezvous! That song you made for her about the Psycho crypt! That was all a coded love letter to her! You're trying to steal her away from me and claim power to the throne!"

"Does anybody know if he's on some kind of new medication?" Nimrod asked.

"No, but he **should** be," MaCross snarled.

"For crying out loud Slade!" Mogul shouted. "It's obvious to anyone with half a brain, which by the way is a bit **more** than what you have…That Nimrod is more likely to run off with the **rock band** Queen than the Queen of the Crown!"

"Yeah we heard him arguing with his boyfriend here about how he wronged him," Larry pointed to Reggit.

"Ex-Boyfriend! Emphasis on the Ex!" Reggit snapped.

"Wait, you're **gay?**" Slade did a double take.

"Like this is a shock?" Larry asked. "I mean come on, look at that outfit he wears! That alone should have tipped you off!"

"That is very stereotypical," Nimrod sniffed.

"It's also true," Mogul gave him a look.

"Well yeah but you didn't have to put it **that** way," Nimrod said.

"Wait that means you and him…?" Slade pointed to Nimrod and Reggit.

"They already said that stupid!" MaCross snapped. "And speaking of stupid what are you doing here Mogul?"

"That memory bird scared us!" Larry said.

"What memory…?" MaCross turned around and saw an unwelcome sight. "Oh no…"

He saw Zach, Doc, Niko and the kids behind him. As well as a few dozen dignitaries. "Hey everybody! Look who's joined the party!" Bubblehead had drawn their attention.

"I really **hate** that memory bird," MaCross groaned.

"You're all under arrest," Zach pointed his blaster at them.

"Me? I didn't do **anything**!" Reggit shouted.

"That's right! Reggie and I are here to stop them!" Nimrod held up his hands. "Mogul and the others are here to disrupt the ceremony and steal the Golden Eye!"

"I'M THE ONE WHO BROUGHT THE GOLDEN EYE HERE IDIOT!" Mogul yelled at the top of his lungs. "WHY WOULD I STEAL SOMETHING I ALREADY OWN?"

**"YOU?"** Zach turned around and glared at Mogul. "**You** brought the eye here?"

"I also brought this! A great and powerful bomb!" Slade showed them the bomb. "One wrong move and I will set it off!"

Ding! A red light blinked on the bomb.

"Like that," Slade did a double take. "YEOW! OH GREAT NOW IT WORKS! TAKE IT!" He threw the bomb at MaCross.

"I don't want it! You take it!" MaCross threw it at Dawdle.

"Uh I don't want it!" Dawdle threw it to Chugga.

"Me neither!" Chugga threw it to MaCross.

"I ALREADY SAID I DON'T WANT IT!" MaCross threw it to Nimrod.

"Well I sure don't want it!" Nimrod threw it back to Slade.

"Oooh! Keep away! Can I play?" Bubblehead flew around them.

"It's all yours!" Slade threw it at Bubblehead who caught it and fell to the ground.

"It's a high fly ball to centerfield!" Bubblehead chirped. The bomb began making a funny noise. "I caught a radio! I wonder if it gets satellite?" He started to shake it.

"BUBBLEHEAD NO!" All the rangers screamed. The delegates around them started to panic.

"Uh oh…" Larry gulped. "Time for a teleportation spell?"

"Two good ideas this week! You must be eating more fish Larry," Mogul quickly prepared his magic.

"HEY TAKE US WITH YOU!" Slade grabbed onto Mogul.

"Yeah you're not leaving us behind!" MaCross shouted as he grabbed onto Mogul as well. Chugga and Dawdle hung on to Larry.

"Hey! No passengers!" Mogul snapped only to teleport with extra people.

"Oh great that leaves us to be blown to bits!" Reggit wailed. "This is Delos Five all over again!"

"Tripwire! Deactivate the bomb! Hurry!" Doc activated his badge and sent in a tweaker to diffuse it.

"Hey knock it off!" Bubblehead told the bomb. "No more beeping!" He hit it with his wing. It stopped beeping. "Well that worked."

"It's a dud Doc," Tripwire told him. "No explosives at all in there."

"You couldn't even blow up a balloon with this thing," Doc snorted.

"That was lucky," Niko breathed a sigh of relief. She glared at Nimrod. "Now what are you doing here?"

"I heard a rumor that Mogul had the Golden Eye of Po Atlantica in his sights and was going to use it to find the lost city of the mutant empire," Nimrod said.

"So you thought you'd tag along to steal whatever he found," Doc folded his arms.

"But didn't Mogul just say he **brought** the Eye here?" Zach Jr. asked. "I mean if it was already in his possession, why would he bring it here? It doesn't make sense."

"There is a rhyme that has been passed down throughout time," Nimrod said. "Only a mutant male of pure heart can travel to Po-Atlantica from the start."

"That's a pretty stupid rhyme," Doc remarked. Then it dawned on him. "GOOSE!"

"Now we know what Mogul is doing here!" Niko groaned.

"You think Mogul is going to try and use Goose to find Po Atlantica?" Zach asked.

"Does a space sorcerer look **lousy** in high heels?" Doc asked. "Come on!"

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

On the other side of the room panic had already started. Rumors of bandits and bombs spread like wildfire. "This is not the impression we wanted to make today," Waldo gulped.

"What's going on?" Zozo asked. "Goose maybe we should…" He turned around. "Goose?"

Shane was just standing there. Staring at the Golden Eye. "Goose! Come on! We need your help!" Zozo tugged at his sleeve. "Goose what's wrong?"

"Can't you hear it?" Shane seemed almost in a trance. "It's beautiful…"

"Hear what? The people screaming? Yeah I hear that!" Zozo snapped. "Goose snap out of it!"

"I've never heard such beautiful music," Shane said in a daze. "It's calling to me." He reached for the object.

"Gooseman what are you doing?" Waldo shouted. Shane picked up the object. "GOOSE!"

"So beautiful," Shane touched the ball. It began to glow brightly. One of the patterns of the ball lit up and he touched it. "Yes…I understand…"

"Goose what is going on?" Zozo yelled as the light glowed brighter. So bright he had to shield his eyes. The light panicked people even more.

"What's going on?" Walsh made his way up to them with Maya behind him. "Gooseman what are you doing?"

With a final touch of the ball a blinding light lit up the entire room. Sparkles were everywhere. Then all of the sudden the ball flew out of Shane's hand and up into the air. It began to spin faster and faster sending out showers of gold and silver sparkles. Then it exploded and the gold and silver sparkles were everywhere in a huge cloud.

"Is this part of the entertainment?" Maya asked.

"I'm afraid not," Walsh groaned. "Gooseman what have you done **now**? Gooseman!"

"Look!" Waldo pointed. The gold and silver cloud grew bigger and seemed to pass through the outside of the space station. Suddenly all around the space station appeared a giant asteroid with a golden city on it.

"The entire space station is in the city!" Zozo yelled. The station shook violently. "What's going on?"

"To put it simply you know how there is no gravity in space and we use special boosters to keep the space station upright?" Waldo asked. "Well apparently those boosters are not enough to counteract real gravity."

WHUMP!

Everyone screamed as the space station fell and hit something. "Uhhhh…" Shane fell to the floor and shook his head. "What happened?"

"Oh nothing much," Walsh snapped. "You just fooled around with something that could kill us all!"

"What do you mean?" Shane asked.

"You don't remember?" Zozo groaned.

"No…" Shane looked around. He looked out the window. "That looks like a city out there!"

"It is a city out there!" Walsh said. "The city of Po Atlantica which somehow you released out of that ball!"

"Okay…" Shane blinked. He noticed the disarray of everything. "Is everyone all right?"

"I think so," Maya groaned. "I don't think we fell too far."

"Does anyone want to hear the good news or the bad news first?" Zozo looked out the window.

"Good news," Walsh sighed.

"It appears we are stuck on some kind of structure and are prevented from falling any further," Waldo remarked as he looked. "Apparently the space colony is perfectly wedged between two spires."

"What's the bad news?" Shane asked.

"We are perfectly wedged between two spires approximately several dozen stories above the **ground!"** Waldo pointed.

"That's lucky," Shane blinked. "Sort of."

"Is everyone all right?" Zach asked as he ran up with the others.

"Hey guys," Shane pointed. "Look what I did."

"It's the lost city of Po-Atlantica!" Niko gasped.

"And it's right outside our door," Doc groaned. "Hey look! What's those lights?"

Suddenly three twinkling lights floated into the chamber. "Magical Mutant Witch Rosipo!" A beautiful young woman with purple skin, white hair and lavender eyes wearing a purple and pink outfit appeared from one of the lights.

"Magical Mutant Witch Blancipo!" Another beautiful young woman with purple skin also appeared. Her hair was reddish purple and in a ponytail. Her outfit was purple and red.

"Magical Mutant Witch Doripo!" A third purple skinned woman appeared. This one had short purple hair and a blue and purple outfit.

"We are the Magical Mutant Witch Sisters of Po-Atlantica!" They chimed enthusiastically.

"Okay this assignment officially got weirder," Doc blinked.

"So where is he?" Doripo flew around. "Where's the mutant male who set us free?" She looked at Zozo. "Please tell me it's not you."

"Over there lady," Zozo pointed at Shane. "And I'm a Kiwi!"

"You don't look like a bird," Doripo blinked. Then she looked at Shane. "There's our man!"

"WHOO HOO! And what a man! We hit the **jackpot!**" Blancipo whistled.

"Broad shoulders, big strong muscles," Rosipo floated around Shane. "Great body! Yup! We did good all right! It was worth waiting all those centuries for him!"

"Not that there aren't some interesting specimens here," Blancipo winked at Zach and Doc. "Hi boys!"

"Hello there," Doripo floated in front of Shane. "On behalf of the Po Empire I am officially thanking you for releasing us from that spell. Thank you so much uh…What is your name?"

"Shane Gooseman," Shane blinked.

"Oh what a nice name," Doripo sweetly smiled and put a red jewel in his hand. "Now just hold onto this for a moment."

"Look I can't…" Shane didn't get a chance to finish because suddenly the jewel turned into ribbons and bound him up hand and foot. "What the…?"

"He'll be a great present for the Empress!" Doripo used her magic to levitate Shane.

"PUT ME DOWN YOU CRAZY…" Shane struggled but couldn't escape his bonds.

"Let him go you…" Zach began.

"And now my favorite technique…" Blancipo squealed as her hands glowed. "Ultimate Magic Fist Technique: XY STRIP PANTS PURLOIN!"

Instantly several pants were ripped off of several men, including Zach, Doc, Walsh, Nimrod and Reggit. "HEY!" Zach shouted.

"Strippity, strip, strip, strip!" Blancipo squealed as she used her magic to grab the pants off of every male ranger, guard or any other reasonably good looking male in sight.

"That woman is a walking hormone," Rosipo groaned as Blancipo yanked the pants off of Senator Wheiner. "COME ON BLANCIPO HAVE AT LEAST SOME STANDARDS!"

"Knock it off you hypersexual lunatic!" Niko took out her blaster. Only to have it turn into a bouquet of flowers.

"Make flower bouquets, not war!" Rosipo waved her wand about, casting flowers everywhere.

"Will you two idiots knock it off! We got the guy now let's fly!" Doripo snapped as she levitated into the air.

"Bye bye!" Blancipo laughed as she took off with several items of men's clothing.

"Nice to meet you!" Rosipo said cheerfully. Using their wands the three witches broke open the window of the conference room and flew out with Shane as their prisoner.

"LET GO OF ME YOU MANIACS!" Shane shouted.

"Ooh! A party! Wait for me!" Bubblehead flew after them, struggling to keep up.

"WALSH!" Senator Wheiner screamed at the top of his lungs. "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! YOU AND THAT STUPID SUPERTROOPER ARE IN BIG TROUBLE NOW! AND WHERE ARE MY PANTS?"

"Just once I'd like a simple routine mission to happen without any insanity," Walsh groaned. "Just **once!**"

"Daughter…We are now a part of **this?"** King Spartos snapped. His tunic had been removed and he was now in his underwear.

"Those crazy lunatics kidnapped Gooseman and stole our pants!" Zach shouted.

"Well…Only the men's pants," Niko blinked. "But why would they kidnap Goose?"

"I guess it's because he broke the spell and they needed him for something," Nimrod shrugged. "By the way nice tighty whiteys Captain!"

"I swear if my handcuffs weren't in my pants I'd arrest you right now!" Zach snapped.

"This is **just** like what happened on Delos Five," Reggit groaned. "Only I'm still sober!"

**Next chapter! More madness, more excitement and more stripping! YAY! **


	2. Part II

**Part II**

"Wahooo we did it!" Doripo landed in an opulent room in a giant golden castle. "I told you this plan would work!"

"I gotta admit Doripo, I had my doubts!" Blancipo said grinning at Shane. "But when you are right you are right!"

"You maniacs better untie me or else…" Shane wriggled in his bonds.

"Oh dear, maybe we should calm him down or something?" Rosipo suggested.

"Don't get your magic panties in a twist Rosipo," Blancipo sniffed.

"Relax dear sister you worry too much," Doripo said. "Once we bring him to our sister the Empress everything will be okay."

"You know we could clean him up first," Blancipo grinned. "Give him a nice bath."

"Oh no you **don't,**" Shane hissed. "You stay away from me!"

"Don't tease him like that!" Rosipo snapped.

"Who's teasing?" Blancipo asked.

"You know it might not be a bad idea if we do clean him up a little?" Doripo thought.

"Well uh I guess if we're only going to make him more presentable to the Empress…But just **that**, Blancipo!" Rosipo snapped. "I mean this is for her after all!"

"I know that but there's nothing wrong with giving him a little test run," Blancipo said.

"Do whatever you want to me," Shane said bitterly, looking away. "I'm nothing but an object to people like you. I should be used to it by now."

"What?" Doripo blinked. "An object?"

"I'm the only sane survivor of a super soldier genetic experimentation project," Shane told them. "In order to survive I have to hunt down my former team mates and do whatever dirty job the Board of Leaders sends me on. I'm not even a real person to them. Just a weapon. A tool for them to use as they see fit with no choice in the matter."

"Oh you poor baby," Blancipo sniffed. She knelt down next to him. "No wonder you're so hostile. You've been treated badly haven't you?"

Shane nodded and looked away in shame. "It wouldn't surprise me if they just left me to rot. It happens every time I think I've found people I can trust. My heart just gets broken all over again." He winced in agony. "It still hurts no matter how much I try to harden it."

"Maybe I can help heal it?" Blancipo put her hand on his chest.

"My heart's a little lower," Shane told her.

"What here?" Blancipo moved her hand down.

"Yeah, **there**…." Shane grinned as his badge glowed.

"What the…?" Blancipo blinked as Shane's series five powers activated.

Shane called upon his series five implant to activate his bio-defenses, giving him strength to free himself from his bonds. "Thanks for activating my implant," He smirked.

"But…But you said…" Blancipo backed away.

"Heh, it's a living," Shane said. "Which is more than what you'll be doing! Last I checked kidnapping an officer of the law is a crime! And so is sexual harassment and attempted rape!"

"Oh please I wouldn't go **that** far," Blancipo rolled her eyes. "Oh wait I would."

"So what? We'll just catch him again!" Doripo used her powers to shoot out more ribbon. Which Shane tore to pieces. "On the other hand…"

"Careful! We can't hurt him!" Rosipo warned.

"Yeah but he can hurt **us!**" Doripo snapped.

"Don't worry I'll just send a low power energy blast to stun him!" Rosipo charged up her powers. "Energy Pulse!"

The pulse hit Shane but he was ready for it. A red aura enveloped his body as he touched his badge. "Thanks! This helps!" He started shooting off energy beams at the witches who scattered.

"Great move! Now he's shooting off energy at **us!"** Blancipo snapped at her sister while Shane blew up statues all around them.

"How was I supposed to know he could do that?" Rosipo snapped. "How **is** he doing that?"

"It's that badge of his," Doripo said. "That must be activating his mutant powers somehow! Blancipo! You know what to do!"

"Yeah," She nodded. "What?"

"What you do **best** you mutant moron!" Doripo snapped. "Act like a hormonally crazed lunatic!"

"Oh right!" Blancipo nodded and activated her powers. "XY STRIP PANTS PURLOIN!"

Shane fell back as his pants and boots were yanked off. "Now I'm **mad!"** Shane roared as he let off another full blast of energy.

"You were supposed to take off his **shirt!** Not his pants!" Rosipo shouted.

"Sorry," Blancipo apologized. "I usually take them off first! Old habits are hard to break."

"I'll break **you!**" Shane roared as he attacked them, blasting energy at them.

"RUN! RUN REALLY FAST AND FAR AWAY!" Doripo jumped out of reach.

Standing above a ledge watching the insanity was another young woman with purple skin and long lavender hair in a high ponytail. She wore a crystal crown upon her head and a long jacket and elegant pantsuit of purple, red and black. She had a pair of lavender eyes that looked upon the scene with no amusement at all.

"And to think," She sighed. "There are people who wonder **why **the Po Empire declined so rapidly."

Meanwhile Blancipo managed to get off another stripping volley and this time it hit Shane in the chest. "Got it!" She cackled as she grabbed his shirt.

"Okay now get him!" Rosipo shouted as she and her sisters tackled and tried to subdue Shane in his underwear.

Tried is the word here.

"Look why don't you just be a good boy and…HEY! STOP THAT!" Doripo struggled.

"OW! DON'T BITE ME! IF YOU DO THE UNDERWEAR IS COMING OFF NEXT!" Blancipo snapped.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME YOU PERVERTS!" Shane struggled to defend his honor.

"ALL RIGHT WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?"

Everyone stopped in their tracks. "Uh oh…" Doripo gulped nervously as the fourth young woman stormed up to them. "Uh Hello Empress Sophipo…We were just…"

"I **know** what you lunatics were doing! I could see the whole thing from my balcony!" Sophipo snapped. "What the hell do you think you're doing? Answer me you three little maniacs before I knock your blocks off!"

"You said to get the guy that broke the spell and bring him here," Blancipo said. "And we did."

"I told you to explain our situation and **then** bring him here!" Sophipo snapped at them. "Not **once** did I mention the words kidnapping or stripping!"

"I told them they were going too far but they didn't listen…" Rosipo began.

"OH SHUT UP YOU SUCK UP!" Her sisters shouted at her.

"I am not a suck up! You are **idiots!**" Rosipo snapped.

"You are the idiot, idiot!" Blancipo snapped.

"Don't call her an idiot seeing that you're the **head** idiot!" Doripo snapped.

"I thought that was you?" Rosipo sneered.

"Why you little…" Doripo tried to strangle her. Soon all three sisters were trying to beat the stuffing out of each other.

"Look I am really **sorry** about this," Sophipo apologized to Shane while the sisters fought amongst themselves. "Really it's just I turn my back for a century and they get out of control! They're like a cross between teenagers and two year olds! Believe me this is **not** the way I wanted things to go here!"

"Perverts…" Shane snapped as he whirled around and retrieved his clothing. "I am **out** of here!"

"Look before you leave don't you want to know **why** the three not so wise women over here kidnapped you?" Sophipo asked. "Believe it or not there **is **a reason."

"I don't care what it is Lady," Shane snapped as he got in her face. "There's **nothing** you can do or say to stop me from…"

Then Shane saw something that changed his mind.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Goose? Goooooose? Here Goosey Goosey Goosey!" Bubblehead cried out as he flew around the city. He had gotten lost. (No surprises there.) "Come out, come out wherever you are!"

He flew into a large garden. "Hmmm…No Goose here." He heard some off key warbling. "What's that?"

In the garden was another memory bird. She was white with long brown feathers on her head that flowed past her wings. She was wearing a pink dress and a purple choker on her neck.

_"You don't need to be a computer programmer to turn me on," _She sang as she danced around. _"I'm online twenty four seven from dusk to dawn!" _

"Hoooo Momma!" Bubblehead's eyes popped out of his sockets for a moment. "What a **babe!"**

_"You don't have to be Rich or Chuck or Steve you don't have to go out for New Year's Eve," _She dance around, oblivious. Especially to the glares some real birds were giving her. _"I just want to dance and sing and…_HEY! Where are you going?"

The real birds had had enough and flew off. "Come back! I haven't even gotten to the good part yet. Ohhhh…Somebody give a chick a chance will ya?" She blinked.

_"Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelllllllllllllllllllll…" _Bubblehead warbled like a drunken Elvis impersonator. _"Since those birdies left ya…You got nothing to tell. But you can always count on me to…Well…" _

"Oooh! I likey!" The female memory bird twittered as Bubblehead danced around.

_"I'm feeling so silly I could cry…" _Both birds sang.

"Professor Bubblehead," Bubblehead made a bow.

"Princess Ditzy," The female memory bird curtsied.

_"Don't have to go out on New Year's Eve…" _Bubblehead warbled as the two birds circled each other.

_"Don't have to be Rich or Chuck or Steve…" _Ditzy sang back. _"I'm not really that picky at all…" _

_"I just want to go out and sing and have a ball!"_ Both birds sang together before lovingly touching their beaks together.

Then a short circuit sparked between the two birds and they both accidentally zapped each other with electricity. "Wow…What a kisser…" Bubblehead moaned as he lay on the ground.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"It's a good thing we had our other uniforms on hand," Zach grumbled as he wondered what to do next. "Not to mention other clothes on hand for the senators and other dignitaries."

"Too bad we don't have something to calm down Premier Dutch's wife," Doc pointed at the crowd.

On the floor was a broken android of a large, fat older man. "Q-Bee! You are so **dead** when I get home!" His very young, very blonde wife Madonna screeched in a high pitched Brooklyn accent. "Every time I want to go out someplace nice he pulls this trick on me! Android double for national security my butt! More like an android double for when he wants to sneak down to the bar with his friends and watch the **ball game!"**

"I don't know why I'm shocked," Walsh groaned. "This has only happened about **every** time we've met up with him!"

"Look we need to go and rescue Goose," Maya had changed her outfit into her usual tiger striped leotard complete with a staff.

"We?" Niko gave her a look.

"Goose is my friend too," She told her. "I'm not going to sit back and just let those witches have their way with him!"

"So how do we get out of here?" Doc asked.

"Can't we just go to the hangar bay?" Niko asked.

"We tried that but when we fell into the tower some circuits shorted out and the hangar bay door is jammed," Doc told her. "And even if we did manage to get in there well…You know how the space station fell to the side and how everything not tied down slid over and crashed?"

"Don't tell me," Walsh groaned.

"Let's just say there's one big mess in the hanger bay," Doc groaned.

"We can't exactly walk down either," Zozo looked out the window.

"We've got a solution," Zach Jr. said. His sister hand helped him pull out three silver hover bikes. "Jessie and I scavenged these from one of the school's labs."

"We can fly out through that window," Jessica pointed out where the witches had escaped.

"We? What do you mean **we**?" Zach snapped. "There is **no** we here. Doc, Niko, Maya and I will go."

"Someone has to stay behind and help guard the dignitaries and Senators," Walsh pointed out.

"Don't worry Dad! We'll find Goose!" Zach Jr. took off on one of the hover bikes with his sister riding behind him.

"KIDS! COME BACK HERE!" Zach shouted.

"Don't worry Captain! We'll keep an eye on them!" Doc flew off with Maya and Niko on their scooters. Maya was riding behind Doc on his scooter.

CRASH!

"I just wish they'd keep their eyes on their flying," Walsh groaned as Doc crashed into an expensive vase as he flew away.

"COME BACK HERE!" Zach waved his arms. "KIDS! NOT AGAIN!"

"I'd go after them Ranger Foxx but it seems I'm a bit out of sorts," Buzzwang spoke. His arms and legs had separated. "I knew I should have gone for a tune up before the party."

"All I want is a little peace and order in my world," Zach groaned. "Is that so much to ask?"

All of the sudden there was a poof of smoke. "Attention people in the big metal thing that crashed onto our city," A tall purple woman in black with black hair hiccupped. She was riding a giant pink flower. "We will evacuate you shortly. Please step on the big flower here for a ride. But first, does anyone have any booze on 'em? I fly better drunk."

"Apparently it is," Zach sighed.

"Cool man," Nimrod was impressed.

Meanwhile the others were flying through the city. "I bet if we find Bubblehead we'll find Goose," Zach Jr. said.

"Sure where do we start?" Doc asked.

"HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO KNOW WHERE THE BATHROOMS ARE?" They heard Mogul screaming. "YOU SHOULD HAVE GONE BEFORE WE LEFT!"

"I did go," Larry whined. "I have to go again!"

"How about down there?" Niko pointed to a city street where Larry and Mogul were arguing.

"Just pick a wall or something!" Mogul snapped.

"I can't do that!" Larry whimpered. "It's unhygienic."

"Oh great now what?" Mogul snapped as he saw the Rangers and the others approach.

"Mogul! We want to talk to you!" Maya snapped.

"Well unless they are where the little demon's room is we're not interested!" Larry snapped.

"Hey weren't the other bad guys with you?" Zach Jr. looked around.

"The term my dear lad is either professional villains or morally challenged," Mogul put his hands on his hips and swirled his tail around.

"We dumped 'em a few minutes ago," Larry said as he hopped around. "And speaking of which does anyone know where the rest room is?"

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Somewhere in the bowels of the city.

"MaCross we're lost," Dawdle groaned.

"Yeah and I have to go to the bathroom," Chugga said.

"Oh pick a wall or something!" MaCross snapped.

"How unhygienic," Slade sniffed. "Hey, what's that over there?"

They walked into a giant chamber with gold covered walls, floors and a ceiling to match. Not to mention piles and piles of gold and jewels littering the floor. "Boys! We just hit pay dirt!" MaCross whooped.

"How about we split it?" Slade asked. "You take that side of the room and I'll take the other side?"

"How about you don't take anything and leave it alone?" They turned around and saw that there was a six foot tall young woman with purple skin, short blonde hair standing behind them. She was wearing a black halter top with skin tight black pants, black boots and a black knee length coat as well as silver earrings and bracelets.

"Who's gonna make us Sweetheart?" Dawdle sneered.

"I am," The woman pointed to herself. "Magistrate Lindsey. I guess you can call me the sheriff of these parts."

"Oh yeah and how exactly are you gonna stop us?" Slade asked. "I don't exactly see a blaster on you."

"I don't need them," Lindsey smiled as seven large cat sized butterflies with multi colored wings appeared. "Not with my back up squad."

"Butterflies?" MaCross laughed. "You expect us to get scared over a bunch of **butterflies?**"

"Po **Mutant **Butterflies," Lindsey grinned as the eyes of the butterflies began to glow. They started to shoot out heat beams at the bandits.

"AAAHHH!" The bad guys screamed as they were nearly blasted apart by butterflies.

"BUTTERFLIES! RUN FROM THE BUTTERFLIES!" Slade screamed.

"Great! We're lost in an alien city on the run from a lunatic with killer butterflies!" MaCross yelled as he ran for his life. "Can this day get any worse?"

"Let me put it to you this way…" Chugga groaned. "I don't have to go to the bathroom anymore."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Back to the others…

"Where's Goose?" Maya snapped. "We want answers!"

"Look I don't have **time** for this!" Mogul snapped. "I've got a city's treasures to plunder so buzz off!" He disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"And I've got a bathroom to find!" Larry disappeared as well.

"Oh great," Zach Jr. groaned. "How do we always end up in situations like this?"

"I'll take a guess that it might be because you and your sister are running around in places you shouldn't?" Doc gave him a look. "Me, I'm paid to do crazy stuff like this."

"La, la, la, la, la, la…" Both Bubblehead and Ditzy flew their way.

"Bubblehead!" Jessica called out.

"Hi guys! Hey I want you to meet my girl here!" Bubblehead introduced the female memory bird. "Say hello Ditzy!"

"Hello Ditzy!" She warbled as she landed on Doc's head.

"**Another** memory bird?" Zach Jr. asked.

"Wonderful," Doc groaned as he rolled his eyes.

"Bubblehead have you seen Goose?" Niko asked.

"That's a silly question Niko," Bubblehead rolled his eyes. "Of course I've seen him! How can you miss a nearly seven foot tall blond haired Supertrooper?"

"So where is he?" Maya asked.

"I dunno," Bubblehead blinked. "Is he missing?"

"So much for **that **theory," Doc groaned.

"Maybe he's around here?" Ditzy looked and fluttered down to a nearby bush. She stuck her head in it. "Hello? Goose? Goose?" She flew back onto Doc's shoulder. "Are you Goose?"

"No," Doc groaned. "Great just what we need. Another memory bird **exactly** like Bubblehead!"

"Are you Goose?" Ditzy landed on Niko's shoulder.

"No, I'm Niko," She replied.

"Hi Niko! I'm Ditzy! Who are we looking for again?" She blinked.

"They certainly named her right," Maya groaned. She saw something in the sky. "What is **that?"**

"Transport flower," Ditzy looked up at a giant orange flower floating in the sky. "Much more economically efficient than cars. Oh and there are some royal guards riding it! Hi there!"

"HELLO! TAXI!" Bubblehead whistled.

"Uh Bubblehead I don't think you should have done that," Doc gulped as the flower floated towards them. Actually they were flying fast towards them.

"SLOW DOWN RAIN! YOU'RE GOING TOO FAST AGAIN!" One of the female guards shouted.

"DUCK!" Doc yelled and they fell to the ground.

"I thought we were looking for Goose?" Bubblehead scratched his head.

"Get down here!" Doc yanked him out of the way before they were nearly run over by the flying flowers.

CRASH!

The giant flower crashed right into a building. "Who's bright idea was it to let **Rain** drive?" One purple skinned female guard moaned as she stumbled around in a black and orange uniform.

"Ooh look at all the stars…" Another female guard groaned as she fell to the ground.

"You did it again Rain!" A third female guard snapped at the one on the ground as she stumbled away from the flower. "Oh my spine…"

"This place is nuts," Doc grumbled.

"There they are!" More female royal guards approached carrying staffs. "Get them!"

"It's time to stand and fight!" Maya held her ground.

"Maya no!" Niko said. "We need to talk to them!"

"They kidnapped Goose! I say we're past talking!" Maya readied her staff. To her surprise she was suddenly lifted in mid air. "WHOAAAH! I can't move!"

"On the other hand maybe talking isn't such a bad idea?" Doc gulped.

"Telekinetic…" Niko realized. She activated her powers to push the royal guards away. She found herself fighting off a few female guards.

"Are you a mutant too?" One female guard asked.

"Just what we need! **Another** mutant chick around here!" Another female guard groaned.

"I'm **not **a mutant," Niko told them as she fought.

"Good, then I won't feel bad about doing **this!**" Another female guard zapped her from behind with her staff and knocked her unconscious.

"Niko!" Jessica yelled and started hitting the female guard who zapped her.

"AWK! FIGHT THE POWER! FIGHT THE POWER!" Bubblehead and Ditzy joined in by rapidly attacking the guard.

"OW! HEY! STOP THAT!" The female guard yelled. "I'm just doing my job here! Come on! OW!"

"Ladies, can't we talk about this?" Doc gulped as two guards tackled him.

"Hey this woman looks different than the others," One guard said.

"That's because it's a **man **you dipstick!" The other female guard hit her on the head. "I know it's been a while since you've seen one but come on!"

"Is he a mutant?" Another female guard asked.

"Who cares?" Rain sat up promptly. "IT'S A MAN!"

"I saw him first!" One of the female guards that tackled Doc said proudly.

"No you didn't! He's mine!" The other female guard hit him.

"Mine! Mine!" Several female guards made a beeline towards Doc and started yanking him around.

"Hey! Watch it! Ladies! Please! WATCH THOSE HANDS!" Doc yelled as he tried to fight for his life and honor. "WHOA! HELP!"

"SPEAKING OF HELP I COULD USE SOME HERE!" The female guard getting pounded by Jessica and the two memory birds screamed.

"Oh for crying out loud…" The guard holding Maya telekinetically groaned. "Do I have to do everything around here? Hey!" She nearly lost her concentration as Zach Jr. tried to tackle him. "Bertie!"

"Yes Captain Woostah! I got it!" A female guard ran up and grabbed Zach Jr. from behind. "Hey is this a man too?"

"Not exactly," Captain Woostah sighed. "He's a bit under the legal age limit for us."

"I got a younger sister that has a birthday coming up," Bertie told her. "He'd be perfect for her."

"Don't even **think **about it!" Jessica then started to attack Bertie. "That's my brother you witch!"

"I'm not a witch! I'm just a sergeant! Although I'd love a promotion one of these days…OW!" Bertie yelled.

"One Adam twelve! One Adam twelve! Riot in progress! Riot in progress!" Bubblehead screamed as he chased the other female guard around.

"STOP IT! NO MEANS NO!" Somehow Doc had gotten free but his shirt and pants had been torn off. The female guards were chasing him in his underwear. "HELP!"

"FIGHT THE POWER! FIGHT THE POWER!" Ditzy attacked another guard. "I AM DITZY! HEAR ME ROAR!"

"THIS IS CAPTAIN WOOSTAH! I NEED BACK UP NOW!" She screamed into her communicator.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Niko slowly opened her eyes and found Zach looking at her. "Oh my head…What happened?" She asked as she sat up on a soft couch.

"What **didn't **happen?" Doc groaned as leaned against the wall. He was fully dressed again.

"Our rescue mission sort of backfired and we ended up getting captured," Maya sighed.

"Aww…Niko okay?" Ditzy twittered. She and Bubblehead were on the couch as well.

"I'm fine," Niko looked around. She was in a huge lavish room where all the other senators from the reception were. "What are you doing here?"

"We got taken on a magic flower ride," Zach groaned. "Literally!"

"What happened to them?" Niko asked as she saw MaCross, Slade and the other two outlaws tied up and in a corner. They were all in fetal positions looking shell shocked.

"We don't know," Zach said. "They just dumped them here and we tied 'em up. They didn't exactly put up much of a fight."

"No butterflies…" Slade was rocking back and forth. "Now we're safe from the evil butterflies! HA HA HA!"

"I can't wait to go to jail," Dawdle moaned. "Oh how I miss jail!"

"I don't miss jail!" Reggit snapped. He was tied up with Nimrod. "I didn't do anything!"

"Save it for the judge," Zach snapped. He turned back to Niko. "Like I said we all got dumped here after nearly getting killed while riding on a giant flower if you believe it."

"We do," Doc groaned. "One nearly ran over us!"

"How do you get run over by a flower?" Zozo asked.

"We nearly were," Maya groaned. Several Royal Guards walked into the room. "Have you noticed something else about our captors?"

"They're all women," Zach looked around.

"I think I just figured out **why** they kidnapped Goose…" Doc moaned. "If it's anything like my experience that man is in for a rough time."

"What do you mean?" Niko asked.

"Oh that's right you were unconscious at the time," Jessica remembered.

"Trust me you **don't** want to know," Doc groaned.

"There's something else though…" Niko frowned. "Something familiar about these people…"

The curtain rose on a huge balcony above them. Out stepped Empress Sophipo to a fanfare of trumpets and music. Behind her was Magistrate Lindsey. "Now what are they going to do?" Zach asked.

"Greetings aliens from wherever the hell you are from," Empress Sophipo greeted. "I am Empress Sophipo, supreme ruler of the Po Empire. I'm sorry if I don't know all your names or species. We've been away a while. But we're back now. Oh don't worry this administration isn't really into the 'conquering the universe' thing. That phase went the way of my great grandfather Emperor Napoleonix the Third and the Fourth."

"Third **and** the Fourth?" Waldo asked.

"Yeah funny story there was a little coup, he died, got cloned…" Sophipo waved her hand. "You know how these things go. Anyway now that we have returned we thought we'd jump right into the swing of things. You know open some commerce, have a few fundraisers oh and most importantly we are going to be opening a new casino and theme park to really bring in the tourists. But the real bargain here is these brand new housing units! Magistrate Lindsey!"

Lindsey pushed a button and a video screen was shown, showing expensive townhouses. "Yes this luxury housing can all be yours for just a minimal fee. You not only get to enjoy the splendor of the Po Empire but also enjoy all these other activities free. Hike in our parks, play rocket tennis on our courts, swim in our nearly mutant jellyfish free lakes…"

"Rocket tennis?" Zozo's eye twitched.

"Nearly mutant jellyfish free lakes?" Doc gulped.

"YOU KIDNAPPED ALL OF US JUST FOR SOME KIND OF TIME SHARE PROMOTION DEAL?" Zach shouted. "AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH RANGER GOOSEMAN?"

"Let me handle this, Captain Foxx," Senator Wheiner puffed up.

"Oh god **no!"** Another Senator shouted. "Someone else! **Anyone** else!"

"I will handle this," A tall man with brown hair in his forties stood up. He was wearing green senators' robes and had a strange resemblance to Larry Hagman. "I am Senator Garson, Speaker of the Board of Leaders."

"Speaker of the what?" Bubblehead asked.

"He's second in command after Premier Dutch," Doc explained. "Kind of like the vice president. Only he actually does things."

"Yes uh Ranger Foxx does have a point about kidnapping us," Senator Garson said.

"Well technically you people sort of accidentally invaded us," Empress Sophipo whistled. "And according to our ancient laws any sort of invasion must be dealt with in a very harsh manner."

"By offering time shares?" Doc asked.

"You know a better way to punish grown adults?" Lindsey asked. "Besides if people want to invade us or accidentally invade us anyway we might as well make a buck or two off of it."

"They've got a point," Madonna admitted.

"Oh and I haven't gotten to the best part," Sophipo said. "You are all invited to tomorrow night's coronation! It's a very exclusive and very prestigious ceremony where we crown the future co-ruler of the Po Empire."

"You can just see where this is going can't you folks?" Bubblehead quipped.

"Introducing his Royal Highness, the Crown Prince of the Po Empire, Prince Shane!" Lindsey called out. "All bow to his royalty!"

Just then the curtain rose and there stood Shane, dressed in dazzling prince's robes of silver and black. He wore a silver circlet on his head and looked very much like a prince.

"GOOSEMAN?" Everyone in the room gasped in shock.

**Is Shane Gooseman really the lost prince of the Po Empire? If not what's the real reason he's doing this? Find out! Come on you know you want to! **

**And yeah I couldn't resist doing a Happy Feet parody. He he…**


	3. Part III

**And now…A little Romantic madness…And my mad imagination running amok. He he…**

**Po Part III**

"THERE IS NO WAY I AM BOWING TO **HIM!"** Wheiner shouted, pointing at Shane. "HE CAN'T POSSIBLY BE A PRINCE!"

"Oh yeah?" Sophipo asked. "Is he a mutant?"

"Well yes…" Wheiner blinked.

"Is he a man?" Sophipo asked.

"Obviously," Niko rolled her eyes.

"He's qualified," Sophipo said.

"AND HOW!" Every Po Female in the room shouted.

"Grrrrrr…" Niko growled in extreme annoyance.

"He's not a prince! He's a genetic mistake created for a program that's obsolete!" Wheiner ranted. "He belongs to BETA and no way in hell are we going to let him go! He's too valuable property to just let him take off and live some crazy fantasy life!"

"Are you saying that Shane Gooseman is **property** and not a free person?" Sophipo raised an eyebrow. "Is slavery **allowed** in your League of Planets?"

"It most certainly is **not!**" Waldo huffed and gave Wheiner a look. Along with every alien in the room.

"Did, did I say that?" Wheiner stammered. "Uh no what I meant was…He's an employee of the League of Planets. As an officer of the law. That's what I meant."

"No it isn't," Zozo spoke out.

"Shut up fur ball!" Wheiner hissed.

Then another senator kicked Wheiner hard. "Why do you keep getting **elected?**" He looked around to his fellow senators. "Tell me how does this idiot keep his seat?"

"Damned if I know," Garson groaned. "He must have the stupidest constituents on the entire planet!"

"Ignore the man, he's a fool," A black haired, tan skinned Earth Commander stepped in. "Commander Cain at your service. Ranger Gooseman's status is that of a citizen of Earth, but you know how paperwork is. And how it backs up when there's one crisis after another. But I am sure that someone back on Earth can put together…I mean show you Gooseman's proof that he is a legal, full fledged citizen of Earth. I mean he couldn't be a Galaxy Ranger if he **wasn't.** Right **Wiener?**"

"Wheiner," The senator glared at him.

"You certainly are," Madonna rolled her eyes.

"Well then that's all settled! See you tomorrow at the coronation! Ta ta!" Sophipo waved and she and Shane disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Help yourselves to the buffet and take a free brochure about our new apartment complex and theme park!" Lindsey started handing them out.

Garson took a brochure and hit Wheiner on the head with it. "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?"

"Do you realize what you nearly did?" Cain hissed. "And how much hot water we are in now with the rest of the League because of it!" He looked at the aliens around them staring.

"Sorry folks, you know how it is with drunks…" Cain laughed nervously. "Always one in every crowd! Am I right?" Some of the aliens moved away to talk.

"I am starting to wonder if joining this League of Planets was such a **smart idea,** Maya," King Spartos glared at the Earth Senator before moving away.

Cain whirled on Wheiner. "Idiot! You are an **idiot! **You know maybe we should lock **you** away in the Cryocrypt?"

"Yeah everybody on the Board knows you got a stupid grudge against Gooseman and Walsh so just get over it!" Madonna yelled. "Don't ruin things for the rest of us!"

"We don't care if they want to keep Gooseman to run a mariachi band!" Another senator snapped. "One less problem for us to deal with! Just don't let it get in our way!"

"But he's **not** a **prince!"** Wheiner hissed. "There's got to be some regulation against it!"

"I don't think there is," Zach said.

"Don't worry Wheiner I'm sure the Galaxy Rangers will sort this all out," Walsh gave him a look. "Right Rangers Hartford and Niko?"

"What about me?" Zach asked.

"I need you to keep the rest of the Earth Delegation from lynching Wheiner," Walsh groaned. "Normally I wouldn't mind but we already look bad in front of the rest of the League of Planets!"

"I dunno, maybe stringing him up will make us go up in their estimation?" Bubblehead cackled.

"SHUT UP BIRD!" Wheiner hissed.

Only to get smacked on the head by Madonna. "YOU SHUT UP!"

"Let's go find Goose before things get really crazy," Doc said. "Oh wait we're about ten minutes too late for **that** to happen."

"But how?" Niko asked. "There are guards everywhere."

"I can help you!" Ditzy chirped. "There are lots of secret entrances and I know them all!"

"Okay Niko create an illusion to cover your escape by using your powers," Zach said. "You and Doc find Goose and get to the bottom of this."

"I'll go as well," Maya had overheard the conversation. "You might need an extra hand."

"Fine," Zach sighed. "You three go and sort it out."

THWACK!

"While I stay here and try to keep everyone from killing Wheiner," Zach sighed. "Try being the operative word here."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"I can't believe I agreed to **this**…" Shane grumbled as he removed his prince's robes in a private chamber. He saw that a large bubble bath had been drawn for him. "Maybe I should wash up?"

Shane quickly stripped and lowered himself into the bath. "Ahh this is actually nice."

"HELLO HOTTIE!" Blancipo popped out of the water.

"AAAAHH!" Shane backed away. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

"Oh just a little spell I used that allows me to travel from one body of water to another," Blancipo blinked suggestively as she leaned closely to Shane. She was wearing a skimpy bathing suit. "How about we make some waves?"

"How about you act like an adult for a chance!" Sophipo popped out of the water next. She was wearing her outfit and was very wet and annoyed. "I **knew** I'd find you here!"

"Uh Sis, hi…" Blancipo gulped. "I was just making sure the water was warm enough for him. Don't want him to catch a cold."

"Out you **walking hormone!"** Sophipo used her telekinetic powers to throw her sister out the window. "AND STAY OUT!"

"Thanks for defending my honor," Shane grabbed a nearby towel and wrapped it around him as he got out.

"No problem," Sophipo got out of the tub. "It's one of my many duties as head of my family to keep my insane sisters in line! Oh great! My robes are ruined! I hate that mode of transportation!"

With a flick of her wrist her robes floated off of her, leaving her in a bra, and a long slip with underwear. The robes hung in the air as Sophipo conjured up a large hair dryer and she started to dry them. "Ugh this is so annoying! I can't think of anything more bothersome."

Just at that moment Niko, Doc, Maya and the two memory birds tumbled in through a secret passage in the wall. "Wow what a trip," Bubblehead chirped.

"Goose! I…" Niko did a double take. "Oh I'm so sorry! For minute there I thought you were in **danger!"**

"Uh this is **not** what it looks like," Sophipo held up her hands. "See what happened was…"

"Oh we can see pretty well what happened," Doc chuckled. "Another lady for your harem Gooseman? I see you're taking your royal duties very seriously!"

"It's not **funny** Doc," Shane grabbed a robe and pulled it on.

"I don't know," Maya folded her arms and smirked. "I am finding this **amusing."**

"Is this what this whole **nonsense** about you being a prince is about?" Niko snapped at Shane.

"No it's not!" Shane told her. "Believe it or not there is a reason for this whole…"

"You're right! I don't believe it!" Niko fumed.

"I haven't even said anything yet!" Shane snapped. "Will you give me a chance here?"

"I can't wait to hear this one," Doc smiled. "So Gooseman, tell us why you're giving up the glamorous life of a Galaxy Ranger for the oh so tedious life of a prince over a planet filled with lovely women?"

"Goose wouldn't do that!" Niko was stunned. She looked at him. "Would you?"

"Well you can't say you can blame me for thinking about it for a moment," Shane snapped. "You have to admit I'm treated a lot better here than at BETA."

"Oh I'll **bet**," Niko gave him a look and then glared at Sophipo.

"It's not like that at **all!"** Sophipo groaned. "I'm not interested in him in **that** way!"

"All I meant was at least I'm seen as a person and not a weapon!" Shane explained.

"I never saw you as that Shane," Niko gave him a look.

"Did I say **you **did?" Shane snapped. "You, Doc, the Captain and even Maya here never did but there are a lot of other people who do! Even Commander Walsh…Why am I explaining this to you anyway? I never said I was going to **stay** here! I'm only doing this because they need my help and if you would calm down for a minute and put your irrational jealousy aside…"

"IRRATIONAL?" Niko yelled at the top of her lungs. "YOU'RE CALLING ME IRRATIONAL?"

"WELL YES!" Shane shouted back.

"And to think I almost missed this," Doc chuckled as he sat down on a nearby chair to enjoy the show.

"If you would just let me explain for **one minute** what's going on here…" Shane began. "And Doc no cracks about what it looks like what's going on here!"

"Why won't this stupid thing dry any faster?" Sophipo tried drying her gown even more.

"Well what else am I supposed to think when I catch you dressed like that?" Niko waved. "Or should I say undressed like that?"

"What do you care what I do anyway?" Shane snapped at her. "It's none of your business!"

"Your love life does become my business when you decide to fool around in the middle of a mission!" Niko snapped.

"Oh relax why don't you?" Sophipo snapped. "I can tell by his aura that he's still a virgin so I wouldn't be too concerned about it!"

"Hold it…" Maya did a double take. "You're a…?"

"Say a little **louder** why don't you?" Shane hissed Sophipo. "I don't think they heard you in the **next galaxy!"**

"Wait a minute…You **can't **be a…" Doc gave him a look. "How can **you** be a…?"

"Think about it for a moment Doc! Who the hell would I be with and **when?**" Shane snapped. "I didn't even know about **that** until I left Wolf Den at fifteen and I've been pretty much under Walsh's control and everything. Back in the academy most women were afraid to **talk **to me, let alone…NOT THAT IT'S ANY OF YOUR BUISNESS WHICH IT ISN'T!"

"But you…?" Doc did another double take. "You're so…And you have all those other girls…"

"**What** other girls?" Shane snapped.

"Annie for one," Doc said.

"We're close friends," Shane said. "Okay so we flirt a little but nothing serious ever happened. Every time I see her I'm on a mission! There's no time to…"

"What about Maya?" Doc asked.

"What **about** Maya?" Maya folded her arm, fuming. "We're just friends! That's all you idiot!"

"Oh so Maya likes Doc," Bubblehead chirped. "I win the betting pool!"

"You like **Doc?**" Niko blinked.

"You don't have to sound so surprised," Doc huffed. "I am the one with all the manners and charm. Besides we're back on Goose and his pure white feathers here."

"No! Yes! I mean…" Maya fumed. "Let's get back to Goose!"

"No we **don't **have to get back to Goose!" Shane said.

"What about Daisy O'Mega?" Niko added. "I **know** you spent time with her."

"Is it about that Renegade Rangers mission?" Shane groaned. "We've been **over** this! Nothing happened but a little dancing! I was keeping her busy so she wouldn't notice we were spying on her. Nothing happened!"

"Oh yeah right!" Niko snapped.

"If you think I'm the type of guy who sleeps with a woman just to get something from her then you don't know me at **all!**" Shane shouted.

"Obviously you're not because you haven't slept with any woman **period**," Doc quipped.

"CAN WE PLEASE STOP TALKING ABOUT MY LOVE LIFE HERE?" Shane shouted.

"Or lack thereof," Doc chuckled.

"You want to get **pounded **Doc?" Shane made a fist.

"Excuse me I think we're getting a little off course here," Sophipo gulped. "As fascinating as this is maybe I should explain…"

"Yes maybe you should explain why you were trying to seduce Shane here?" Maya snapped.

"Oh great now I'm the victim," Shane groaned.

"Technically he very nearly **was**," Sophipo began.

"Why you little…" Niko growled and with a look both she and Maya grabbed her and tackled her to the floor.

"Wow this mission is just getting better and better!" Doc grinned from ear to ear.

"This is better than a talk show!" Bubblehead chirped.

"All right what's going…" Lindsey walked into the room and saw the scene. "WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?"

"Oh hi Honey…" Sophipo gulped as she was pinned on the floor in her underwear by two other women. "Uh you'll never believe this…"

"Try me you cheating little…" Lindsey growled. "YOU'RE DOING IT AGAIN AREN'T YOU?"

"No…No I'm not! Seriously!" Sophipo managed to get the other two women off of her. "I can explain…"

"Oh like you explained the last time something like this happened? Or the time before **that?**" Lindsey snapped. "Some girlfriend you are!"

"Girlfriend?" Niko blinked. "**She** is **her **girlfriend?"

"I **tried **to tell you," Shane gave her a look.

"I can't believe you would try and do this **again!**" Lindsey screamed. "WITH THESE TWO BIMBOS!"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A BIMBO YOU…?" Maya roared as she whirled on Lindsey.

"YOU! STAY AWAY FROM MY WOMAN!" Lindsey screamed and tackled Maya. Soon both women were fighting furiously.

"This is the best mission ever…" Doc grinned.

"I gotta agree with him on this one," Sophipo shrugged.

"HOLD ON HERE YOU…!" Niko whirled on Sophipo.

SPLASH! SPLASH! SPLASH!

"I'm **back!**" Blancipo appeared again with Rosipo and Doripo. "And this time I brought reinforcements!"

"Oh no…" Shane turned white. "DOC RUN!"

The three witches laughed as they started chasing around Doc and Shane. Niko and Sophipo chased them around to stop them from acting like idiots. Maya and Lindsey fought and the memory birds started flying around laughing. All in all it wasn't exactly one of the Ranger's smoother rescue missions.

"What's all the **yelling** about?" A small boy with white hair and purple skin wandered in. He was wearing some blue and black clothing and was carrying a stuffed animal with big eyes and large ears. "Are you fighting again?"

"Tiko! Did we wake you?" Sophipo stopped immediately. Everyone stopped what they were doing.

"I heard lots of yelling," Tiko blinked. "And Mokey wanted to see what was going on." The boy indicated the stuffed animal.

"Oh honey we're sorry," Lindsey let Maya go. "We were just…playing."

"I may be a little kid but I'm not that dumb," Tiko gave them a look.

"Are my sisters bothering you again?" Tiko asked Shane.

"It's okay," Shane told him.

"Can someone please explain what is going **on** around here?" Doc asked. "Who's he?"

"This is Tiko," Sophipo said. "The real prince of the Po Empire."

"Not to mention the reason we cast the spell on Po Atlantis in the first place," Doripo remarked.

Rosipo hit her on the head. "Don't say that! Not with him right there idiot!"

"The reason you cast the spell?" Niko asked.

"I had no choice," Sophipo held her brother. "I had to take drastic measures to protect my little brother. Not to mention the last remaining male of our species."

"Hold on Empress," Niko stopped her. "Maybe you should tell your story to the rest of our team?"

"Hey Captain!" Doc reported in cheerfully on his communicator. "Guess what Goose is?"

"SHUT UP DOC!" Shane snapped.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"We've been walking around this stupid city for **hours,**" Mogul moaned as he leaned against a wall somewhere in the bowels of Po Atlantis. "And we've found nothing but crazed mutant butterflies, some insane females trying to skewer us and miles and miles of nothing!"

"That's not true Mogul," Larry said cheerfully. "We also found a bathroom. At least I **hope** that was a bathroom."

"Ugh! It smelled like one," Mogul rolled his eyes. "Where the hell is all the magic? I **know **there's got to be some around here!"

"Don't you have some kind of magic testing device that points out powerful sources of magic?" Larry asked.

"You're right!" Mogul made a few motions and out popped a purple diving rod. "This magic dowsing rod will point us in the right direction! Okay magic rod! Do your stuff!"

The rod twitched and twanged. "It's got something!" Mogul said cheerfully. Then he found himself being lifted up. "AAAAH! IT'S GOT ME!"

"Master! Wait for me!" Larry cried out as he ran behind Mogul who was being dragged by the dowsing rod.

"HEY! KNOCK IT OFF ROD! STOP! STOP! STOP!" Mogul screamed.

WHAM!

Mogul had suddenly hit face first against a golden energy barrier. "It stopped Master," Larry told him.

"Thank you for pointing that out…" Mogul groaned. "Hmm…I sense great power sealed behind this barrier! YES! WE HIT THE JACKPOT BABY!"

"I knew you could do it Master!" Larry nodded.

"Was there any doubt?" Mogul prepared. "Now all I have to do is crack this baby open and it's magic city baby! OOHZA MAZZOOZA! OPEN SEZAME!"

BOOOM!

The magic backfired onto Mogul and it hit him hard. "Maybe you should try a different spell?" Larry suggested helpfully.

"This…could take a while…" Mogul coughed.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"So you purposely put your entire city and your people in a magical stasis field just to protect your brother?" Zach asked. He had arrived in the room along with his children, Waldo, Zozo and Commander Walsh. Both Shane and Sophipo had gotten dressed again.

"Considering he might be the only remaining male of our entire race, I thought it was appropriate," Sophipo gave him a look. "There was a horrible disease that only affected the male of our species. By the time we discovered a cure nearly all our males succumbed to it. Including our father."

"And then things got worse," Doripo sighed. "An enemy of ours unleashed a dark curse on our Empire that threatened to destroy us all."

"What kind of dark curse?" Maya asked.

"The unstoppable evil energy that devours everything in sight kind," Rosipo told her. "It can destroy buildings, people, entire planets…"

**"Planets?"** Zach asked.

"Let's just say Po Atlantica wasn't always on a floating asteroid," Lindsey grumbled.

"We put a barrier around the dark curse but it won't last forever," Blancipo explained. "Sooner or later it will get out. And after it destroys Po Atlantis…"

"The rest of the universe will be next…" Niko realized.

"The only way to stop this curse completely is that a Po Prince must battle and destroy it," Rosipo explained.

"Tiko's far too young to do that," Sophipo ruffled her brother's hair. "And we didn't have enough time to do anything else. So my sisters and I came up with the idea to seal our city and people away in a magical stasis spell. Until we found a mutant male willing to help us."

"Only a mutant male of pure heart…" Doc remembered the rhyme.

"Yeah I wrote that," Rosipo held up her hand.

"I'm sorry," Tiko sniffed. "It's all my fault all this happened."

"No it's not, kid," Shane knelt down to his level. "It's okay."

"No it's not," Tiko said. "I'm supposed to be the Prince of Po Atlantica but I can't do anything to help."

"Of course you can help," Shane told him. "I need you to be brave and stay with your sisters. They only did what they did because they love you and want to keep you safe. Do you understand?"

"I guess," Tiko looked down.

"One day you will be a very strong, very brave prince," Shane said. "All your sisters want is for you to be safe until that day comes. I know it's not easy. I was once pretty little myself."

"You were?" Tiko blinked.

"Yeah and I hated it," Shane nodded. "I hated being smaller and weaker than everyone else. A lot of people picked on me because I was too little to fight back and I needed someone bigger to watch over me. But I still felt pretty bad about it even though I couldn't help it."

"What did you do?" Tiko's eyes widened.

"I made up my mind to get big and strong and let the older ones teach me what they knew," Shane said. "I worked very hard until one day I could take care of myself. But I never forgot that my friends…My real friends looked out for me because they wanted me to get strong too. And if you really work at it, that day will happen for you too."

"You think so?" Tiko asked.

"I know so," Shane winked.

"Okay! Then that's what I'm gonna do!" Tiko said bravely. "And Mokey here will work hard too!"

"That's the spirit, Kid," Shane grinned.

"Oh how sweet," Sophipo sniffed.

"See I told you we got a good one," Doripo smirked.

"Commander I have to go through with this," Shane stood up and looked at Walsh. "It's the only way to help these people."

"Not to mention us," Doc nodded.

"Considering the circumstances I don't think we have much of a choice," Walsh sighed. "I'll go talk to the Board of Leaders and inform them of what's going on. Damn thing makes as much sense as **anything else** we do around here."

**Next: More insanity, a little more romance and some more secrets unveiled! **


	4. Part IV

**Part IV**

"I told you we'd get out of that mess," Nimrod said happily as he and Reggit made their way through a garden near the palace. "We were able to cut our ropes and escape."

"Only because everyone else was so distracted by all those senators trying to beat up Wheiner!" Reggit snapped. "I can't believe this! Now I am a fugitive! Wonderful! Once again you have ruined my life! Thanks a lot! I only hope whatever it is you're trying to get on this stupid trip is worth it!"

"I always thought you were worth any hassle," Nimrod said.

"WHAT?" Reggit turned on him.

"The truth is I can get gold and jewels and all that other stuff any time," Nimrod shrugged. "But a partner to share them with is valuable beyond compare!"

"You **unbelievable**…" Reggit fumed. "AAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

"I take it you are a bit confused," Nimrod blinked.

"Confused? No," Reggit glared at him. "Annoyed beyond belief? YES! You ruined my life because you were lonely?"

"Hey! Being on the run from the Galaxy Rangers isn't exactly the best way to start a committed relationship," Nimrod said.

"Someone should commit **you** to an insane asylum!" Reggit snapped. "Don't you understand that I am an ambassador? Or I **was **until you've shown up! I work in an office now! A big one! With a corner window and everything! I get to go to parties where the majority of the guests are not criminals or lunatics. Okay some of them are politicians but…"

"But are you **happy?**" Nimrod asked. "That's the sixty four credit question here."

"That is not the point," Reggit snapped.

"I think it is," Nimrod said. "Admit it Reggie. You're trying to be something you're not and you're miserable! I can tell by the crease lines in your face."

"Nice try but I moisturize," Reggit snapped. "I am going home and try to salvage what is left of my career. Maybe if I throw myself on the mercy of the Court they'll let me off with a brief jail stint in some fun little white collar prison? You do remember the Royal Decree, am I right? You know the one your father passed after you pulled that stunt at your sister's wedding and tried to steal her presents?"

"So he got a little ticked off because I wanted to play with a few of my big sister's baubles?" Nimrod waved.

"You tried to steal the royal jewels including the Crown of MaCavity!" Reggit snapped. "The most important and valuable royal artifact and symbol of power in the history of our people! Oh and you totally wrecked the wedding and blew up the wedding cake!"

"Like I said, picky, picky…" Nimrod sniffed.

"Yeah well that little incident couple along with a half dozen others made it a crime for anyone to even **associate** with you!" Reggit snapped. "The only reason I got off was because my mother had a good lawyer and she was sleeping with the judge at the same time! This is so typical! You always think about yourself! You never stop to wonder how your actions affect others! You certainly didn't think of it back then and you haven't changed a bit now!"

"But I have changed!" Nimrod followed him. "Really!"

"I hope you are referring to something other than your hairstyle because quite frankly that's the only difference I see!" Reggit huffed, folded his arms and closed his eyes.

"Well uh how about feasting your eyes on **this?**" Nimrod took out a blue crystal on a cold chain with some writing inscribed on it and held it out under Reggit's nose.

"What? This is my family heirloom!" Reggit was stunned as he took it. "My father had to give it to Lord Siam to pay his gambling debts! How did you ever get it back?"

"I stole it," Nimrod said cheerfully.

"Okay so you got back a family heirloom from a dangerous powerful lunatic," Reggit stiffened. "That still doesn't prove anything. Not even the fact that I'm keeping it." He stuffed it in his robe.

"Come on Reggie, you know you were never cut out for this stuffy diplomat lifestyle," Nimrod made sad kitty eyes at him. "Where's the wild carefree cat that used to dance on the high wires and swipe the cream from the mouths of fat lazy cats?"

"He retired to the islands and is enjoying the odd game of shuffleboard," Reggit told him.

"I don't think so," Nimrod smiled. "Admit it Reggie, you and I were the perfect pair! The perfect partners in crime! Even my most carefully thought out plans and most cunning schemes couldn't hold a candle to some of your most casual plots of purloin."

"True," Reggit thought. "They're still talking about who had the nerve and the audacity to switch the heads of all seventy five gods of the royal family and replace them with cartoon characters. Some priests still believe it was a case of divine intervention."

"And don't forget the fun we had at Risa Four," Nimrod purred.

"Yes that was right before Delos Five where you cheated on me!" Reggit snapped.

"We all make mistakes! That was mine and becoming respectable was yours," Nimrod told him.

"The only mistake I made was not screaming for every Galaxy Ranger and security guard from here to the end of the universe!" Reggit snapped.

"But you didn't!"

"I should have."

"You still didn't," Nimrod grinned. "Which means you still care! Come on you know you still love me! _All you need is love…"_

"Oh great now we're singing copy written material," Reggit groaned. "Just add to the list why don't you?"

_"I was made for loving you Reggie you were made for loving me!" _Nimrod danced around.

"No I wasn't! And stop **singing!**" Reggit snapped. He jumped the nearest tree to escape.

_"You can't get away from me baby even if you climb a tree,"_ Nimrod climbed after him on a nearby separate tree.

"That's right our species can climb trees," Reggit groaned as he climbed higher. "What was I **thinking?**"

_"Our love is lifting me higher!"_ Nimrod sang off key.

_"Get away from me before I set your tree on fire!"_ Reggit snapped in an off key tone of his own. "Great now I'm doing it!"

"You never could resist a musical duet," Nimrod grinned. _"Love lift us up where we belong! Where the kitties cry on a tree that's really high!" _

_"Nimrod you're nothing but a complete fool! You threw your chance away for a quick lay!" _Reggit snapped.

_"We could be partners! Just like the old days!" _Nimrod sang as he chased Reggit through the branches as the trees intertwined.

"NO! You…You'll hurt me! Again!" Reggit ran off.

"No I won't!" Nimrod chased after him.

"Oh yes you will! And I'll…I go back to my life…My boring little life…" Reggit stopped. "Gods I hate my life…"

_"You'll be respected and you'll get fat," _Nimrod taunted.

"Oh no I can't do that," Reggit shuddered. "Well the fat part anyway. No, no…I can't do this again. _There's nothing that will…_Forget it! I am not singing anymore! Okay, no more singing! This is like some bad parody of a movie that came out ages ago!"

"Come on Reggie you love this!" Nimrod called out. "Just one more chance, that's all I ask!"

"Yes one more chance to throw away my future!" Reggit snapped at him.

"Is that a future you really want?" Nimrod asked. "To stand around feeding your face listening to boring stuffed shirts all day? Reggie you were the best sneak thief our planet ever had!"

"That's because no one knew about half the stuff I did!" Reggit snapped. "Stuff you talked me into!"

"But you loved it didn't you? Admit it! Come on Reggie! You said so yourself they were going to throw the book at you anyway! Why not come back to the job you love best?" Nimrod asked. "And you didn't answer my question, do you or do you not want to be a diplomat all your life?"

"Not really…" Reggit admitted. "Okay so what if I do miss a little of the old life? I can't trust you!"

"So we'll get counseling! I can do that!" Nimrod said. _"We could go to therapy…"_

_"I guess I could do that…" _Reggit softened. _"I was happy…When we were together…We were fearless…And we were bold…" _

_"I was reckless, when I treated you so cold…" _Nimrod sang, _"It was a mistake…I'll always regret…Just please don't say it's over yet…Because I-I-I will always love you!" _

_"I-I-I will always love you!" _Reggit sang back as they scampered to the top of the tree and started caterwauling together. "Oh I never stopped loving you Darling! But I was so hurt!"

"Never again! I swear! I am now a one man cat!" Nimrod happily clasped hands with Reggit.

"To hell with my job! Let's go out and steal something!" Reggit beamed happily. "I hated dressing in these damned robes anyway! But one thing…I am serious about the couple's counseling."

"I have the numbers of two very good specialists to choose from," Nimrod said cheerfully. "A Harvard and a Yale graduate. One of each!"

"Ooh I love to pick!" Reggit grinned. "Let's go! Look out universe! Nimrod the Cat and Reggit the Tiger are back!"

"_And now Reggieeeeeeeee's back in towwwwwwwnnnnnn!" _Nimrod sang as they scampered through the trees.

"Look out old Reggie is back!" Reggit whooped.

This was all witnessed by a very confused Shane and Niko who stood there on the ground stunned as the two cat men scampered off together. "Is there something in the water on this planet or what?" Niko asked.

"How the hell did we end up in some kind of warped romantic comedy?" Shane blinked. "Should we go after them?"

"I'm too tired and confused," Niko admitted. "Let 'em go. Odds are they'll probably run into trouble anyway as crazy as this place is."

"Tell me about it," Shane sighed. He looked at her. There was an awkward silence between the two of them.

"I'm sorry," Both of them said at the same time.

"Look Shane I…" Niko fidgeted for a moment with her hair. "Damn it why the hell do I feel like I teenage kid who hasn't a clue how to act?"

"At least you were able to be a teenager," Shane let out a breath. "All this feeling stuff and relationship crap wasn't exactly encouraged during my formative years. We were taught to work together but not to like each other. It was like we were always in some kind of competition. Actually…For some reason most of the other Supertroopers acted like they were in competition with me. As hard as I tried to be like them it seemed that most of them were convinced I could never be one of them. And I guess they were right."

"This isn't about that, you know?" Niko said.

"No but you can see where I'm coming from. Things didn't change that much after Wolf Den on that aspect. It's just easier to play a role and hide behind what people expect of you," Shane sighed. "So I flirt a little…Okay a lot but that doesn't mean anything. If I don't take things seriously…"

"Then you can't get hurt," Niko looked at him.

"More likely I can't hurt someone else," Shane told her. "We both know no one in their right minds would ever allow a Supertrooper to date."

"Since when do you let anyone **allow **you to do anything?" Niko raised an eyebrow.

"You're different," Shane admitted. "When I'm with you I feel…I don't know what I feel. Less alone. I don't have to impress you. You make me feel like smiling even though I don't know why. All sorts of things."

"Kind of feel that way around you too," Niko let out a breath. "I guess that's why I get so jealous when you pay attention to other women. Even though I don't have a right to."

"Uh well," Shane admitted. "Sometimes I do it on purpose. Just a little. Only to get you back."

"Get me back? For what?"

"For driving me crazy!" Shane turned on her. "Stars Niko you have to know how you…I mean…Damn it…You affect me okay?"

"I affect you?" Niko raised an eyebrow. "What does **that **mean?"

"Just what it means," Shane was frustrated. "I'm not supposed to be affected but I am!"

"You're attracted to me," Niko deciphered.

"In a way little more than that," Shane said. "You know how my senses are a bit sharper than most humans right? It's not always your scent that does it. It's how I see you…Sometimes when the light is right I can see this aura around you. It must be a psychic thing but when I look at it…It's like a moth is attracted to a flame."

"You can see auras?" Niko was surprised.

"Only yours," Shane admitted. "Well and that Lady of Light but that was an exception. It was different. Yours is silver with some blue mixed in."

"Oh…" Niko blinked. "Uh anything else?"

"Well now that you mention it…" Shane scratched his head. "This is gonna sound crazy but sometimes I swear I can see stars in it."

"Stars?" Niko was really shocked.

"Yeah why?" Shane asked. "You seem really surprised."

"Oh no, it's nothing," Niko quickly dismissed it.

"No it's something," Shane realized. "Tell me."

"It's really silly," Niko fidgeted nervously.

"So has been the past twelve hours," Shane gave her a look. "Go on. Tell me. What does it mean?"

"What makes you think it means anything?"

"You're stalling again. Tell me."

"Oh all right," Niko played with her hair. "It's something I heard when I was a child. It's a little superstition. Harmless fun really."

"What?" Shane asked.

"According to the legend if you see stars in someone's aura," Niko told him. "It means…It means that you're soul mates and you're destined to be together forever."

Both looked at each other for a moment. "Real silly huh?" Niko laughed nervously.

"Oh yeah, ridiculous," Shane nervously laughed back. "You had me worried there for a moment. For a minute I thought it was something bad. Like the Black Plague."

"I know. I was seven when I heard that story," Niko waved her arm. "It's just a fairy tale."

Both chuckled a little bit. Then they stopped laughing and looked at the sky above them. "Wow…You know as weird as this place is…It's really beautiful," Shane looked around. "Do…Do you just want to take a look around the garden. I mean while we're out here and have some time to kill?"

"Sure, no problem. There is one thing I don't understand," Niko asked as they walked away. "How did you ever learn to act like a pick up artist when you've never been on a real date?"

"You'd be surprised at what you'd learn watching Tri-D," Shane told her. "Niko, uh…Thanks for not giving me a hard time. You know about the whole…dating…thing. I guess it's easier for women to understand than guys. You know since I guess you…"

"Who said I was a virgin, Shane?" Niko gave him a sly look and walked ahead.

"Huh?" Shane did a double take. "Hey wait up!" He followed her.

Both Doc and Maya saw them walk off. "It's about time those two got together," Maya smirked.

"Admit it, you liked to flirt with Goose because it drove her crazy," Doc grinned.

"That and he is a great piece of eye candy," Maya smiled.

"Oh well that makes me feel all warm inside," Doc huffed.

"Not that you don't have your good qualities," Maya gave him a look.

"Such as?"

"Modesty and humility," She gave him a look.

"True," Doc grinned as he took her arm. "And now that Tarkon is part of the League you get to see more of me."

"If my father doesn't run away screaming," Maya groaned. "I must admit this League of yours is anything but boring."

"We have our moments," Doc told her. "And speaking of moments…"

"Goose! Goose wait up!" Tiko called out as he ran. Both Doc and Maya had to jump out of the way as he passed through.

"Tiko! Tiko come back here it's past your bedtime!" Sophipo ran through as well.

"Why does **my** alone time get interrupted?" Doc grumbled.

"Goose!" Tiko happily caught up with Shane and Niko. "Hi! Want to play?"

"Tiko it's past your bedtime and you shouldn't bother Gooseman," Sophipo chased after him.

"It's okay," Shane waved. "I don't mind."

"I know it's all pretend but I'm kind of glad you're going to be my brother for a little bit," Tiko said happily. "It gets kind of crazy being surrounded by girls all the time."

"Oh I don't know," Doc grinned as he and Maya walked up to them. "Sometimes that has it's advantages."

"GET AWAY FROM ME YOU LUNATICS!" Zach was heard shouting. The Mutant Witch Triplets were heard squealing with delight.

"On the **other** hand…" Doc groaned.

"Not **again!**" Sophipo snarled. She and the others ran to assist Zach. He was cornered by a short white wall covered in crystals. Lindsey was there using her butterflies to try to hold the sisters back with very little success.

"Help me here! I can't hold back your insane siblings forever!" Lindsey shouted.

"Aw come on at least let me get his shirt off!" Blancipo giggled. "SHIRT STRIP!"

"Oh no!" Zach ducked at the last minute. The blast hit one of the crystals on the wall and it was knocked off.

"OH NO!" Sophipo shouted. Fortunately Zach grabbed the crystal before it hit the ground. "BLANCIPO YOU MORON LOOK WHAT YOU ALMOST DID!"

"How was I supposed to know he was gonna move?" She replied innocently.

"Phew! That was close…" Zach groaned. Then he got a closer look at the object he held. "Wait a minute…This **can't **be what I think it is!"

"What?" Shane asked. Then he looked at the wall and the other crystals on it. "Holy…"

"These things look like…" Niko gasped.

"Psychocrystals," Zach growled. "This wall is covered with psychocrystals!"

"What's a psychocrystal?" Rosipo asked.

"This thing right here!" Zach picked up the crystal and showed them. An image of a Po Mutant could be seen.

"Yeah it's blue but it's definitely a psychocrystal," Shane remarked.

"No, that's a soul crystal," Sophipo told them. She took the crystal and used her powers to put it back in it's place.

"Soul crystal?" Niko asked.

"Yes when a Po Mutant is about to die, they transfer either some or all of their life force into a crystal so that they can watch over their families," Doripo explained.

"Come on I'll show you," Tiko took Niko and Shane by the hand. They all followed the boy to the center of the garden with several pristine white walls and columns. All of them had several crystals on them.

"Look at all the crystals," Doc looked around. "There must be thousands of them!"

"This the Royal Courtyard," Sophipo explained. "But we have places like this all over Po Atlantis."

"Good Evening Ancestors!" Tiko called out, making a respectful bow. "Come on out and meet our friends!"

The crystals began to shine and glow. Ethereal figures of humanoids appeared. "Captain…I'm sensing life force…" Niko staggered. "A huge amount of it."

"You should because these crystals have the life force of all our relatives," Rosipo told her.

"What?" Zach was stunned. "That's horrible!"

"No. They all willingly gave of themselves for this. It is an act of pure love and unselfishness," Sophipo explained. The forms of thousands of Po Mutants appeared and mingled around them. They were all smiling and at peace.

"Wow it's a family reunion," Bubblehead chirped. "Which one's Uncle Bob?"

"I dunno I think its the fat one," Ditzy said. "Do we even have an Uncle Bob?"

"No, we don't," Bubblehead thought. "I think…"

"Our ancestors watch over us and protect us always so we are never alone," Tiko told them. "Come on!" He took Shane by the hand, leading them to a regal pair of Po Mutants. "Mother, Father! We've come to visit you. And look! I made a new friend! His name's Goose! He's a mutant too. Not a Po Mutant but a mutant still. Say Hi Goose!"

"Uh hi…" Shane was at a loss for words. The two figures smiled kindly at him.

"Oh goody…Now we get to meet the family," Doc gulped nervously. "And they're all ghosts…"

"Not quite…This is almost exactly like the Slaver Lords, I'm sure of it," Niko said. "These are definitely psychocrystals only…The feeling I get from them is not half as cold."

"Have you noticed something else?" Doc said. "I mean look at them all. Don't they **remind** you of someone?"

"They look a lot like the Queen…" Niko realized.

"What Queen?" Lindsey asked.

"The Queen of the Crown," Zach's eyes narrowed. "Same purple skin, memory birds and now these crystals! It's all the same! Which means…"

"The Queen is a Po Mutant," Niko finished the sentence.

"Will somebody please explain to us what Queen you are **talking **about?" Sophipo stamped her foot.

Suddenly the crystals stopped shining and the figures disappeared back into the crystals. "Your majesty!" Rain the guard woman ran up. "There's a huge fleet of ships off our starboard side!"

"What?" Zach looked upwards. Through the transparent dome of the city they could see a huge fleet of Crown Warships above them.

"Is that the Queen you were talking about?" Sophipo asked.

"**That's** the Queen we're talking about…" Doc gulped. "Great! Like we didn't have **enough** problems here!"

**Next: The insane conclusion! Not that there wasn't an insane beginning and middle…**


	5. Part V

**Part V**

"Now what the devil is going on here?" Walsh snarled as he looked out the window of the giant conference room. He and everyone else could see the large armada of the Queen of the Crown. "Great! I had to ask! This is a disaster!"

"And everything was going along so **smoothly,**" Commander Cain chirped. "I tell you one thing Joey, you sure know how to throw a party."

"Shut up Cain!" Walsh snapped. He turned on his communicator. "Galaxy Rangers we have a problem!"

"We know! We just uncovered a few clues ourselves," Zach said as he and all the others from the garden walked in. "The Queen of the Crown is a Po Mutant."

**"What?"** Walsh barked.

"This day just gets better and better," King Spartos groaned. "Daughter what have you gotten our planet into?"

"Could someone please explain to me exactly who the hell this Queen of the Crown is and more importantly **why **she's brought an armada to my doorstep?" Sophipo put her hands on her hips. "I mean we have enough problems with the dark curse that could destroy us all."

"Dark curse?" Garson did a double take. "Did she just say **dark curse?"**

"And the words **destroy us all?"** Wheiner's voice rose. Panic started to inflame the guests.

"We're getting a transmission," A female guard called out.

"Patch it into the main computer in this room," Sophipo told her.

"Well Galaxy Rangers," The image of the Queen of the Crown flanked by slaver lords was seen. "I wanted to crash your little party but it appears someone else has beaten me to it."

"I know that voice…" Sophipo blinked. "Wait is that…Mergle?"

"YOU!" The Queen shouted. "YOU'RE STILL **ALIVE?**"

"Mergle!" The three witches shouted.

"Mergle!" Sophipo snapped.

"Mergle?" Shane had a stunned look on his face.

"Mergle," Sophipo snarled. "Why am I **not** surprised?"

"Wait you **know** the Queen of the Crown?" Zach asked. "And her real name is…**Mergle?**"

"Queen?" Rosipo snarled. "The only **royal** thing about her is that she's a royal pain the ass!"

"Mergle?" Shane was stunned.

"Mergle?" Doc was stunned as well.

"Mergle here used to be our apprentice back when she was just a snot nosed little rug rat," Blancipo told them. "Until we caught her fooling around with forbidden magic and even more forbidden mutant science!"

"So we put a sealing spell on her so she couldn't use most of her powers and our parents banished her from the Po Empire," Doripo explained.

"Not all of them," The Queen hissed. "Who do you think **sent** you that curse?"

"I should have known…" Blancipo hissed.

"It used up all the last of what little magic I had left but it was **worth it!"** The Queen snarled. "Besides, I found some new sources of power." She indicated the slaver lords to her side.

"What have you done?" Sophipo asked.

"Those are slaver lords," Zach growled. "She takes the life force of living beings against their will so they can be her eyes and ears in her empire."

"Like I took your wife, Captain Foxx…" The Queen gloated.

"You disgusting…" Sophipo growled. "Only you would twist our most sacred beliefs and practices into something evil and vile!"

"What does she mean by that?" Zozo asked.

"I'll explain later," Sophipo told him. She turned back to the Queen. "You know that process is only stable in a Po Mutant who's life force is almost gone anyway! That process destroys everyone else!"

"Like time destroyed your **face**," Rosipo sneered. "Boy did you get old!"

"Some people do not age gracefully," Doripo agreed. "Then again Mergle never did **anything** gracefully except to suck up to people to get what she wanted."

"And even then it never worked," Blancipo agreed. "She was always jealous of the royal family because of our beauty and power."

"Looks like she managed to get one of those anyway," Lindsey said. "How many mattresses did you have to flatten for that to happen Mergle?"

The Queen sneered. "How fitting! The Galaxy Rangers and my most hated enemies in one place under my thumb! I can obliterate all of you in one fell swoop!"

"You mean **we're** not her most hated enemies?" Doc said in a mock tone. "I'm insulted."

"Speaking of insults…" Lindsey grinned. "Anybody remember that rhyme Rosipo made up about her a while back?"

"The one that some of the guards wrote on the south wall?" Sophipo asked. "Yeah I remember that. How did it go Rosipo?"

"Mopey Mergle had a long face," Rosipo recited. "Mopey Mergle thought she could win the race!"

"Stop that!" The Queen hissed.

"Mopey Mergle tried to win the race by cheating…" Rosipo went on.

"But alas poor Mergle fame was fleeting…" Blancipo added.

"Shut up! I don't want to hear that rhyme!" The Queen shouted.

"Her plan was such a dud," Doripo added. "And she ended up covered in mud."

"STOP IT!" The Queen shouted.

"She tried to challenge the Princess that skanky slut," Sophipo continued.

"MOPEY MERGLE FELL ON HER BIG FAT BUTT!" Every Po Mutant shouted finishing the rhyme.

"I HATE THAT STUPID RHYME!" The Queen screamed at the top of her lungs.

"That really happened you know?" Sophipo told them. "You see…"

"NO! NO!" The Queen shouted. "That's it! I am going to blow you all up once and for all with my latest particle ray cannon! In less than fifteen minutes you will all be nothing more than space dust!"

"My Queen! Wait!" Slade begged. He hopped over, still tied up. "I'm stuck on this vile asteroid too!"

"In that case shorten the countdown to ten minutes," The Queen smirked.

"WHAT?" The villains screamed and then gave Slade a dirty look.

"Uh if we kill Slade will you make the countdown get longer again?" Dawdle asked.

"No," The Queen said.

"Can we kill him anyway?" Dawdle asked.

"Knock yourself out," The Queen shrugged. "Or better yet knock **him** out."

BRROOMMOOEEEEEMMMMMMMMMMMM!

"What the hell was that?" The Queen blinked at the noise.

"That wasn't you?" Doc asked.

"I think I know…" Lindsey said. "It sounded like…"

"RUN AWAY!" Mogul and Larry screamed as they burst into the room.

"Mogul what have you done **now?"** Slade shouted.

"No time! We gotta get out of here!" Mogul screamed. "Or else that dark curse will destroy us all!"

"Dark curse…?" Niko's eye twitched. "Mogul you **didn't!"**

"You broke the magic seal didn't you?" Sophipo screamed at the space sorcerer, forcing him and Larry to back away into the other villains. "You unleashed that dark curse Mergle sent to destroy us all didn't you?"

"Who's Mergle?" Mogul blinked.

"The Queen of the Crown," Zach said. "That's her real name."

"Mergle?" Mogul blinked. He looked at the Queen on the screen. "Your real name is **Mergle?"**

"What's so odd about that?" Larry put his hands on his hips. "My mother's name was Mergle. It's a lovely name."

"I am **never** going to live this day down as long as I live…" The Queen groaned, putting her hand on her forehead.

"Wait a minute," Larry piped up. "If the Queen sent the curse and Mogul released it then that's a good thing! Well not for the Galaxy Rangers but for us it is!"

"Well done Mogul," The Queen purred. "I knew you were good for something! Forget the particle cannon, I'll just let my curse do the work and watch the show!"

"I'll make the popcorn!" Mogul grinned. "Come on Larry!"

"YOU'RE NOT LEAVING WITHOUT US!" Slade, MaCross and his goons shouted as they grabbed onto the two of them before they teleported. In some cases they used their teeth to hold onto their clothes.

"This looks really bad…" Doc gulped as he looked out the window. An inky black ooze like thing was streaming into the streets below, already starting to corrode and destroy the buildings around them.

"This is gonna get rough…" Shane growled. "So how exactly do I stop this thing?"

"We don't know," Rosipo told him. "All we know is that a mutant prince with a pure heart has to destroy it."

"Well isn't that helpful," Shane rolled his eyes. "Come on we'd better do something or else we'll all be slime food!"

"We can't just run in without a plan," Doc told him. "These Po Mutants aren't exactly pushovers with their powers and even they had trouble just containing the curse. Something tells me just using our powers against it is not going to do the trick this time."

"No but…" Zach had a thought as he looked at the armada. "Maybe we can use the curse to our advantage?"

"What do you mean?" Niko asked. "How?"

"Empress I'm going to need all the data you have on that curse and put it into Doc's CDU to analyze it," Zach said. "I just have a hunch…A crazy hunch but it just might work."

"Like we have any **other** kind of hunches?" Doc groaned.

Meanwhile in a stolen starship…

"Come on! Come on!" Nimrod fiddled with the controls. "Stupid piece of junk! It won't budge!"

"Let me see that!" Reggit lightly hit the controls and they sprang to life. "What did you ever do without me?"

"I know what we're **going** to do together if we don't get out of here!" Nimrod screamed as the curse got closer. "BLAST OFF!"

"AAAAHHHHHHHH!" They both screamed as the ship barely outran the dark curse and they escaped Po Atlantis.

Meanwhile the Rangers, the Empress and her sisters had made their way to the top of a nearby tower. "All right, see if you can focus your powers to break off that piece of the curse right **there!**" Zach told the mutant sisters.

"You think it will work?" Rosipo asked.

"It is literally a giant evil blob," Doripo said. "It should."

"Okay let's remember the plan," Sophipo said. "Captain Foxx you and my sisters will break off a piece of the blob and I'll use my powers to move it through the barrier with Niko."

"Uh dumb question, won't that break the barrier and suck all the air out?" Doc asked.

"Nah, magic barrier combined with Po technology," Sophipo told him. "I shove things out there all the time. It always heals itself back up."

"All right let's do this thing!" Zach shouted as he powered up his bionics. He and the three witch sisters used their powers to break off a chunk of the curse and Niko and Sophipo sent it through the barrier into outer space. "We did it!"

"But what is breaking off a part of that curse going to accomplish?" Rosipo asked.

**"That,"** Zach pointed to where the blob was headed.

Meanwhile the Queen and the other morally challenged individuals were watching the madness on her ship. "Yes! YES! I get to watch those fools be destroyed a second time!" She cackled. "And when the Galaxy Rangers and the leaders of BETA and the League of Planets destroyed as well nothing will stop me from conquering the universe! Nothing! HA HA HA HA!"

"Wonderful my queen!" Mogul held out a bowl of popcorn. "Popcorn?"

"Don't mind if I do," The Queen took a handful.

"Uh is it me or does it look like a small blob of that thing is headed our way?" Larry pointed.

"It is!" The Queen realized what was happening as the dark curse hit the first ship in her armada. "NO! THIS IS MY LAST FLEET OF SHIPS! I CAN'T LOSE THIS ONE!"

"Just as I thought," Zach grinned. "That curse doesn't care what it devours as long as it devours **something**."

"Wow that sucker really works fast doesn't it?" Dawdle blinked as the curse blob devoured one ship and hit another. And another.

"Real fast!" MaCross yelled. "And it's headed right this way!"

"Retreat! Retreat!" The Queen screamed to her helmsmen. "Get us out of here!"

"Hold me my Queen!" Slade grabbed The Queen in a tight embrace.

"GET OFF ME YOU SLIMY LUNATIC!" She promptly knocked him to the ground.

"Hit by her own dark curse," Sophipo sneered as the Queen fled with what remained of her fleet. "Talk about irony. Well at least the witch is getting a taste of her own medicine!"

"The problem is we're getting a pretty good taste of it as well," Zach growled. "I was hoping the Queen would get trapped and have no choice but to help us take it out as well. So much for that idea."

"Yeah and now that part is coming **right back**," Doc said. "And it's bigger!"

"And it will make the rest of the curse even stronger!" Doripo shouted.

"Wack! Over there! Man overboard!" Ditzy flew around with Bubblehead. They were squawking something fierce.

"What are you two squawking about now?" Shane then looked down from the balcony. "Oh no!"

"Help! Big sis!" Tiko was running as fast as he could from the curse.

"TIKO!" Sophipo shouted. "How did he sneak out?"

"He must have left the others to try and help us!" Rosipo shouted.

"Nice to know I'm not the only parent that kids don't listen to," Zach grumbled.

Before anyone could realize it Shane leapt off of the balcony. He touched his badge underneath his clothes and he grew skin around his arms and legs like a flying squirrel. He dove down and grabbed Tiko away from a wave of the curse.

"Shane!" Niko shouted. Without thinking she touched her badge and used her powers to levitate the two of them off the ground before the curse hit.

However somehow the curse snaked a tendril on Shane's right leg. "Niko take the kid!" Shane shouted as he grabbed his badge. "I'll be okay!"

"Come on! We'll get them both!" Sophipo told Niko. Using her telekinesis she helped levitate Niko to them. Her sisters followed flying closely behind. They managed to yank Tiko to safety on a large jeweled wall but Shane let go and was pulled down.

"SHANE!" Niko shouted. Without thinking she broke away from Sophipo's control and used her powers to fly towards him.

There was a golden glow underneath the blackness. Shane popped out in a golden metal form and tried to swim out of the darkness. But it kept pulling him under. "His bio-defenses are protecting him for now!" Doc yelled. "But he won't be able to keep it up forever!"

"Why can't his bio-defenses destroy it?" Rosipo asked.

"Oh that's right! He's not officially a prince yet!" Doripo shouted. "We didn't have the coronation ceremony!"

"SHANE!" Niko used her powers to try and shield herself from the curse. She struggled to make her way towards him. But she was caught up in the curse as well.

"Stay here!" Sophipo told her brother. "Come on girls!" The sisters flew down to help. They tried to encase themselves in telekinetic force fields but one by one they were caught and swept down into the muck. They were barely holding on keeping the curse at bay.

"Sophipo!" Lindsey flew on a giant butterfly and tried to save her lover. But the butterfly was caught within the curse as well and Lindsey was being pulled under.

"Lindsey!" Sophipo screamed as she tried to make her way towards her.

"This is ridiculous!" Zach set off a thunderbolt into the curse but it did nothing. "Nothing we do works!"

"It's like trying to fight really hard pudding with paper straws that have no suction!" Doc took out his blaster in an attempt to fight back. But his blasts did nothing.

"SHANE!" Niko tried to make her way out of the muck, her force field barely holding on. Shane tried to make his way towards her. Both their powers were fading fast. They barely managed to hold onto each other's hand before they were pulled down.

"NO!" Tiko screamed loudly as he witnessed the destruction around him. Just before the curse reached the wall and began to overtake him, he started to glow.

"Ancestors…Father, Mother…Please help," Tiko called out. A golden aura encircled him. "Please…Please help me save my family and my friends. I don't know what else do to! I don't want to lose them! I don't want to lose anyone else! Please!"

Suddenly every soul crystal glowed brightly in conjunction with Tiko's glow. The curse was thrown away from Tiko as the power of the life force of thousands of Po Mutants flowed into the boy.

"I'm not gonna be afraid any more!" Tiko shouted as his eyes glowed and a powerful force field surrounded him. "I'm not gonna let you take away my family!"

The force field clashed with the curse and with a thundering crash shattered the darkness. As Tiko's aura grew stronger and more powerful the dark curse hissed and bubbled away, leaving behind glitter. It pulled away from the three witch sisters first, then Lindsey and her butterfly and then Sophipo.

"Sophipo?" Lindsey blinked as she grasped onto her beloved. "We're alive! But how?" Her eyes widened as she saw Tiko.

"That must be Tiko's special gift," Sophipo realized. "He can control life force and auras!"

"Everyone, focus on your auras! Try to help him!" Blancipo shouted. The Po Mutants focused and added their power to his. Even the guards from all over the kingdom did so.

"Captain you think if we used our badges we could…?" Doc asked.

"It's worth a try," Zach said. The two rangers focused on their powers.

The dark curse was driven further backwards. A tidal wave of life force washed over Niko and Shane. Both groggily sat up. "What a rush," Shane groaned.

"Shane…Your aura…" Niko gasped. His aura was visible. It was gold and blue and stars were shining within them.

Shane sat there staring at Niko, her aura filled with stars shone brightly around her. "Wow…"

"We're winning!" Sophipo shouted as the curse bubbled and shrieked it's death throws. "Only the combined strength of all our life force can destroy it! Tiko use your gift to guide it to the heart of the curse!"

"Got it!" Tiko focused. Shane and Niko contributed using their powers.

"The curse…" Walsh noticed from his vantage point with all the other senators and League representatives. "It's becoming undone."

"Along with a few walls and streets," Zozo noticed the damage the curse left behind.

With a final shriek the dark curse dissipated into a blazing light. Tiko and every soul crystal on Po Atlantis shone brightly. Then all was quiet as the light faded. "TIKO!" Sophipo ran to her brother who fainted.

"Is he…?" Lindsey asked. She and the others ran up to them.

"No he's just fine," Sophipo breathed a sigh. "He's just worn out from using his powers so much the first time."

"I'll be darned," Rosipo said. "It worked. We haven't had an aura controller in Po Atlantis for five generations."

"A mutant prince with a pure heart did break the curse," Zach realized. "But it wasn't Goose."

Tiko sleepily opened his eyes. "Sophie?" He yawned sleepily. "Can I have some candy?"

"You saved all our lives! You can have all the candy you want!" She happily hugged her brother. "This calls for a party!" A rousing cheer went up that rang through Po Atlantica. The League representatives and senators milled out to witness the celebration as well.

"Uh Empress hold on," Rain called out. "I think Mergle is back!"

"What?" Sophipo yelled. The silhouettes of an invasion fleet could be seen above them.

"**Now** what's going on in this insane asylum?" Walsh grumbled as he looked above them. "Wait that's the Earth Fleet!"

True enough the Earth fleet had arrived outside of Po Atlantis. "Great more guests for the party!" Ditzy chirped.

"Oh right we didn't get a chance to call Earth when this whole mess started hours ago," Commander Cain realized. "I guess when the space station disappeared inside the city it must have triggered a panic."

"Not to mention the arrival of the Queen's armada and whole curse thing," Zozo pointed out. "We'd better call them before they attack!"

"No problem!" Sophipo called out. "Lindsey! Call out the teleporting butterflies and the **really big** flowers!"

"Teleporting butterflies?" Doc blinked.

"**Really big flowers?"** Goose blinked.

FOOM! FOOM! FOOM!

"Breeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" Dozens of giant butterflies suddenly appeared. And on their backs seemed to be several other galaxy rangers and Earth soldiers screaming for their lives.

"Oh dear," Doc blinked. "This will not end well."

"That is one big flower," Niko's eyes widened as a flower the size of Rhode Island suddenly appeared with a few Earth starships on it.

CRASH!

"How many drinks did that one pilot have?" Zach asked as the flower rammed into a large building.

"Commander Walsh what in the name of the Earth is going on here?" A large fat man in his fifties with long black hair and a brown senator's uniform arrived on the back of a giant butterfly. He spoke with an Austrian accent. He wobbled off the giant butterfly and nearly fell to the ground.

"This is one first contact mission that will **definitely** go down in the record books," Zach groaned.

The large man groaned. "First the space station vanishes, this…place appears and just as we start a rescue party the Queen's armada shows up then takes off when that bizarre energy form nearly engulfed the asteroid! And now we all get kidnapped by drunken maniacs on flying flowers and butterflies! What gives?"

"It's a **long** story Premier Dutch," Walsh sighed.

"Q-BEE!" Madonna shrieked, calling her husband by his pet name. She leapt into his arms. "Am I glad to see you!"

"Oh Madonna my darling!" Dutch whirled his wife around. "I was so frantic when the space station disappeared! I didn't know what to do! I thought I had lost you! I had to come here myself and see if you were all right"!

"You really came to save me?" Madonna asked.

"Of course I did my darling!" Dutch grabbed her hands. "You know nothing under heaven or Earth can keep me away from you."

"THEN WHY DO YOU KEEP PULLING THAT STUPID ANDROID TRICK ON ME!" She started to strangle him. "I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD! AGAIN!"

"Akkkkkk!" Dutch gasped for air.

"This has been one of the most whacked out adventures we've ever had," Doc groaned.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The party lasted all through the night and into the morning and late afternoon. Then Sophipo decided it was time to fix the space station and put it back in place. Soon the space station was back where it belonged.

"Thank you Galaxy Rangers for all you've done for us," Sophipo said to the Rangers on board the space station. She was with her sisters, her girlfriend and her brother. Ditzy was on her shoulder.

"If it wasn't for you I wouldn't ever have been brave enough to find my special gift and use it to defeat the dark curse," Tiko beamed as he held Shane's hand.

"Sorry about the whole kidnapping, fake prince scheme, giant evil curse that was going to destroy the universe thing," Rosipo coughed.

"Don't forget the stripping and sexual harassment," Zach gave her a glare.

"Oh yeah **that,**" Blancipo coughed. "Won't happen again."

"That will be a first," Lindsey groaned.

"So what next for the Po Empire?" Zach asked.

"We're going to go around the universe and search for others of our kind," Sophipo said. "There must be at least a few other Po males scattered around the universe."

"If not well, Tiko has a very big job when he grows up," Blancipo shrugged.

"You mean ruling the Empire?" Tiko asked.

"Uh yeah that too," Blancipo whistled.

"I'll explain when you're older," Sophipo told him. "That reminds me of something…Goose, there's still that thing about you being **property?**"

"Uh yes about that…" Wheiner coughed as he walked up.

Maya followed him. "Go on, give it to him."

He took out a piece of paper and thrust it at Shane. "I've been told to give you **this** Gooseman."

"What is it?" Shane looked at them. "Is this what I **think** it is?"

"It's an official copy of your legal status, claiming you are a citizen of Earth," Wheiner growled.

"So this proves that Shane Gooseman is a legal, certified citizen of Earth?" Sophipo asked.

"Of course," Wheiner coughed.

"Good," Sophipo's face grew dark. "Because I would hate to be in **your shoes** if he wasn't. As mutants ourselves we're a little touchy on the whole slavery thing."

"And I bet so are several other members of your League of Planets," Lindsey said. "From what I've heard several of them escaped the Queen's grasp of slavery. I don't think they'd tolerate it under **any** circumstances, if you get my drift."

"I know my father wouldn't," Maya added.

"Goose is a very special friend of the Po Empire," Blancipo said.

"And as a special friend we'd like to make sure that he's well taken care of," Rosipo went on.

"You really wouldn't want to tick us off," Doripo added.

"Or else we'll get really mad," Tiko stuck out his tongue. He turned to Shane. "Bye Goose. I wish we spent more time together. You're really nice."

"Well maybe you can come back some day?" Shane grinned.

"If we do can we play together?" Tiko asked.

"Count on it," Shane grinned.

"After we're done with our mission," Sophipo grinned. "Goodbye. See you soon Galaxy Rangers!"

"Bye! Aloha!" Ditzy waved to Bubblehead.

"See ya around Dollface!" Bubblehead waved back.

"Bye!" Tiko waved before the Po Mutants and Ditzy were teleported back to Po Atlantis. After a minute Po Atlantis glowed and then flew off into space, leaving a rainbow colored trail behind.

"This has definitely been an introduction to remember," Maya grinned. "I am definitely glad Tarkon is part of the League. And I'm glad you're still here Shane."

She gave Doc a sly look. "Not to mention that I am **very pleased** to see more of you in the future. Until later, Doc." She walked away.

"You gotta admit we Galaxy Rangers know how to throw a party," Doc preened.

"I have a feeling now that the Po Empire is back things are going to get a lot more interesting as far as the Queen is concerned," Niko grinned.

"You mean there's a chance those maniacs will come **back?**" Wheiner groaned.

"They weren't so bad," Shane grinned. "Compared to some of the maniacs we already know."

"Don't let that piece of paper go to your head, Gooseman," Wheiner hissed. "You still are nothing more than a genetic mutant created to serve the purpose of the Board of Leaders. That paper means **nothing!**"

"Wrong Senator," Shane growled. "This piece of paper **proves** that I am not your **property** any more! You can't just send me to the Cryocrypt for no reason!"

"But I **can** get you expelled from the Galaxy Rangers if you don't obey orders," Wheiner hissed. "Or come up with a punishment even **worse** than the Cryocrypt."

"Wheiner I would not put you in charge of the proper disposal of a goldfish much less any discipline hearings on a Galaxy Ranger!" Premier Dutch stormed up with his wife.

"That's telling him Q-Bee!" Madonna sniffed. "I was just saying to him all about how your big mouth nearly got us all in trouble with the whole league. I had to use all my womanly charms and finesse just to keep an official investigation into the whole affair."

"And I don't think Wheiner **you** of all people really want any matters concerning Supertroopers to be investigated," Dutch told him.

"In other words we all know you're the one who made a mess of it in the first place!" Madonna snapped. "And unless you want to be thrown to the newspaper wolves you'd better watch your step!"

"But…But you can't trust him! He's a Supertrooper! He's dangerous!" Wheiner sputtered.

"Oh and we can trust **you**, Mister I Don't Know Where That Five Million Dollars in Taxes Went?" Dutch said. "There is not a single thing in Ranger Gooseman's record that shows that he does not deserve the same rights as any other ranger and citizen of Earth."

"He's not even human!" Wheiner fumed.

"He's more human than **you,**" Niko snapped.

"It figures **you** would stay something like that Ranger Niko," Wheiner leered. "Everyone knows about the disgusting crush you have on him. I guess with your powers you are as close to being a freak as he is."

It took all of Shane's restraint not to bash in Whiener's face right then and there. Fortunately he didn't have to. To everyone's shock, Premier Dutch did it for him.

"You are a repulsive excuse for a sentient being," Dutch slapped him hard in the face. "If you were a man I would challenge you to a duel!"

"If he was a man I'd kick him where the sun don't shine," Madonna hissed. "I think I will anyway…"

"Get away from me you little…" Wheiner backed away. Suddenly Bubblehead leapt up and pecked him on the head. "OW! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!"

"Good birdie," Doc grinned as Bubblehead fluttered to his shoulder.

"Don't even start something Wheiner," Dutch got in his face. "When we get back to Earth we are going to have a little talk about your incompetence."

"You…You can't do anything to me," Wheiner gulped, not really believing it himself.

"Wanna bet?" Madonna hissed.

"You haven't heard the last of this," Wheiner threatened then scurried away like the rat he was.

"Thanks but you didn't have to do that," Niko said to Dutch.

"I was going to let Gooseman do it but I figured that if I did he would get in trouble for it," Dutch said. "Besides I think the two of you complement each other well."

"Uh well yeah but…" Shane stammered.

"Look Ranger Gooseman, when I met my husband he was a distinguished senator from a high class wealthy European background and I was just a shop girl twenty years younger than him working in Queens," Madonna gave him a look. "You think **we** didn't have any **problems?**"

"Trust us, we understand more than anyone that the course of true love does not always run smoothly," Dutch said.

"Besides I **hate** Wheiner, and his wife is such a witch," She shuddered.

"Everybody hates Wheiner," Dutch groaned. "And don't get me **started** on his wife!"

"You're certainly a lot nicer than your android double," Doc told Dutch.

"Well I purposely programmed him to be a bit of a pompous ass," Dutch explained. "So that people would not want to hang around him and discover the truth. But to be honest I think I'd better stop using it for a while."

"Unless you want to end up sleeping in the guest room for the rest of your life," Madonna gave him a look. "Come on Q-Bee. Let's go home."

"They're in that stupid betting pool too aren't they?" Shane sighed as they left.

"Wouldn't surprise me in the least," Niko said. "But Shane this is wonderful. You're a legal citizen now."

"The Board of Leaders can easily disregard this whenever they want," Shane sighed. "But at least this does prove I have **some **civil rights, which is more than what I had before. Maybe I'm not a hundred percent free…But it's **something**. And that's more than I ever thought I'd have."

"Besides," Shane grinned. "You know I love being a Galaxy Ranger. Board of Leaders or not I wouldn't trade it for anything."

"Ohhh…" Bubblehead sighed loudly.

"Oh Bubblehead are you sad because you miss Ditzy?" Niko asked.

"Who's Ditzy?" Bubblehead blinked. "I think I missed the nachos! Oh wait there they are!" He flew off.

"I should have known," Shane groaned. "That bird can't remember anything past his own name most of the time."

"OW! GET THIS CRAZY BIRD OFF ME!" Wheiner shouted. "MY HAIR IS NOT A PLATE OF NACHOS!"

"Most whacked out adventure…Ever," Doc groaned.

**The End. Or is it? **


End file.
